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REPORT 

ON 

EDUCATION IN TEXAS 



AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TO THE 
GOVERNOR AND THE THIRTY- 
SEVENTH LEGISLATURE 



BY 



ANNIE WEBB BLANTON 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction 




THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. 
STATE OF TEXAS , 



A33-121-15h-L180 









J. 1 ' TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

iy Page. 

^^ I. Letter of transmittal 5 

II. Measures recommended by the Governor's Committee on 

Education • 7 

III. Measures for which the endorsement of the Committee on 

Education was not asked 8 

1. Those possible through statutory enactment 8 

2. Changes for which amendments to the Constitution 

are needed 9 

IV. Brief discussion of the necessity for measures recommended. . 9 

1. Enabling act of school amendment 9 

2. Revision of tax system 10 

3. Per capita apportionment 10 

4. Countv imit system 10 

5. Text "book law 13 

6. Revision of the compulsory attendance law 31 

7. Two million dollar appropriation for rural schools. . 22 

8. Vocational education 23 

9. tSchool survey for Texas , 23 

10. Power'^ of State Board of Education 24 

11. State Board of Pubhc School Regents 24 

12. Child- Welfare work 26 

13. Constitutional convention 27 

. 14. Special boards for certain state schools 28 

15. Miscellaneous recommendations 28 

16. Revision of certificate laws 31 

V. Report of Governor's Committee on Education 32 

VI. Statistical reports 37 

1. Permanent school fund 37 

2. Maintenance fund 37 

3. Bond or l)ui]ding fund 38 

4. Sinking fund and interest account 38 

5. Average cost of instruction per pupil 39 

6. Value of school property 39 

7. Smith-Hughes vocational work 40 

8. Report of supervisors of agriculture 42 

9. Report of Rural School Division 43 

10, Summary of other school statistics 47 

■ 11. Average salaries of Texas teachers 48 

12. One teacher and consolidated schools 50 

13. School enrollment 51 

14. Classified high schools 51 

15. Financial report on text books 52 

16. Estimate of school funds for 1920-21 on which the 

$14.50 per capita was based 56 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 

January 10, 1921. 
To His Excellency, Governor William P. Hohhij. 

Dear Sir: I herewith submit for your consideration and that of 
the Thirty-seventh Legislature, a brief summary of facts in regard to 
education in Texas, together with recommendations as to legislation for 
the schools. 

As it is improbable that the Legislature may be able to grant all changes 
in the school laws herein recommended, some of these are proposed 
merely for consideration, and the reasons for such recommendations are 
set forth, that the Legislature may choose from the measures proposed, 
those which, in its judgment, are of most importance. 

The next two years will see the close of my service as State Superin- 
tendent of Public Instruction, as I do not expect again to be a candi- 
date for this office. It is, therefore, but natural that I should desire to 
set before the Governor and the Legislature all of those measures which 
I deem important for the advancement of the public schools of Texas, 
and necessary to establish an efficient system of public schools. Further- 
more the laws of our state impose upon me this duty. 

Your Committee on Education has selected for special endorsement, 
those measures which I deem of paramount importance, and these, in my 
summary, jorecede less important suggestions for which I did not re- 
quest their endorsement. 

Respectfully yours, 

Annie Webb Blanton, 

State Superintendent. 



MEASUEES RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNOR'S COM- 
MITTEE ON EDUCATION. 

1. Immediate passage of the Enabling iVct, putting into effect the 
recently adopted amendment to Article 3, Section VII, of the State 
Constitution whereby school districts may be authorized to vote for 
their schools such support as they deem necessary. 

2. Revision of the state system of taxation in such a way as to equal- 
ize taxable values in the different counties of the state. 

3. The passage of such appropriations from the general funds of the 
state as may be necessary to provide for the public schools, a state per 
capita apportionment of not less than $14.50. 

4. The establishment of an effective County Unit System for Texas 
in which the county superintendents shall be appointed by the county 
board of trustees and in which sparsely settled counties shall be divided 
into groups, each group to be presided over by a county district superin- 
tendent, thus abolishing the office of ex-officio county superintendent. 

5. A revision of the Text Book Law, making certain changes as to the 
Text Book Commission, providing for the distribution of books to the 
common school districts through county depositories, defining more 
definitely the duties of teachers and school officers in regard to the man- 
agement of text books, providing for the cancellation of contracts by the 
State Board of Education in case of jjersistent failure to fill contracts, 
providing for a penalty to be assessed by the State Board of Education 
for the selling of a book at a price greater than the retail price fixed in 
the contract, providing that no text book in manuscript shall be con- 
sidered by the Text Book Commission, adding additional texts now in 
use in the school but not covered by contracts, and providing that con- 
tracts shall, in future, be so arranged that the contracts on not more 
than one-sixth of the total number of different texts adopted shall ex- 
pire in any one year or shall be changed in any one year. 

6. A revision of the Compulsory Attendance Law, providing for a 
gradual increase in the length of the compulsory term and in the grade 
and the age of exemption, prescribing that by September 1, 1922, the 
English language must be made the medium of instruction in all pri- 
vate and sectarian schools accepted in lieu of public school training, 
requiring the registration of private and sectarian schools, and providing 
that by September 1, 1924, private and sectarian schools whose work 
may be accepted in lieu of public school training, must conform to pub- 
lic school standards. 

7. Continuation of the special annual appropriations of two million 
dollars for rural schools and those of small towns. 

8." Appropriations for vocational education imder the terms of the 
Smith-Hughes Law and provision for acceptance of the terms of the re- 
cent Federal act providing for the rehabilitation of persons injured 
in industry. 

9. Provision for a comprehensive and thorough survey of the schools 
of Texas. 

10. A revision of the statutes relating to the powers of the State 
Board of Education, granting to this Board the power to remove after 



a fair hearing, any school official wlio has been illegally placed in his 
position or who refuses to obey the school laws, or who wilfully and per- 
sistently neglects his duties, or who is known to be wholly incompetent 
or to be guilty of misconduct or of immorality; granting also to this 
Board the power to alter, change or fix boundaries of school districts in 
cases of appeal or in cases to which existing laws do not apply. 

11. Provision for a State Board in charge of the State Department 
of Education and of the public schools, who shall appoint the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction and who shall determine and carry 
out the policies of public education for the public schools of the state;. the 
placing of the State Superintendent, the State Assistant Sujjerinten- 
dents. Supervisors and State Board of Examiners, on the same basis as 
to scholastic requirements and as to financial remuneration as are the 
educators employed in the state's highest educational institutions. 

12. Provision for child-welfare work among school children of school 
age in cooperation with the parent-teacher organizations of the state. 

13. Provision for the holding of a Constitutional Convention in the 
spring of 1922. 

14. Eevision of the certificate law, providing for the same powers of 
certification to all schools on a basis of the same standards and courses 
of work, and for a distinction between certificates obtained l)y examina- 
tion and those secured through college work, providing for a gradual rais- 
ing of standards for teachers through a period of several years and for 
more adequate fees for county examinations. 

15. Endorsement of the memorial of the Board of Regents of the 
State University in which is proposed a plan for removing the Univer- 
sity of Texas to anotlier site and for provision for adequate grounds, 
buildings, and support for a university of the first class. 

16. The Committee endorsed the budget presented to the Board of 
Control by the institutions of higher education and by the State De- 
partment of Education as just, fair and necessary for the maintenance 
and support of these institutions and it was the sense of this committee 
that its members should do all within their power to secure tbe adop- 
tion of these budgets liy the legislative committees and by tlie Thirty- 
seventh Legislature. 



MEASURES FOR WHICH THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE COM- 
MITTEE ON EDUCATION ^VAS NOT ASKED. 

1. Those Possible Through Statutory Enactment. 

a. Specific provision for an adequate program for physical training 
in the public schools, both rural and urban. 

b. Provision for Americanization work tlirough the State Depart- 
ment of Education, in cooperation with an advisory State Illiteracy Com- 
mission, to be appointed. 

c. Provision for two special boards of regents for state schools — 
one for the schools for the blind and deaf and for the two state 
orphans' homes at Corsicana and at Waco, and one for tlie two Train- 
ing Schools for Delinquents. 

d. Revision of the school code in regard to certain points with a 



— 9— 

view to greater clearness or improved eflBciency; minor changes of dates 
in the laws as to taking the scholastic census, and provision for more 
adequate remuneration; provision for bonds of both county and inde- 
pendent district depositories to be made for two years, beginning July 1, 
the amount of bond to be the amount of estimated receipts for the en- 
suing year; provision permitting any district to vote bonds to erect and 
equip a teacherage; definition of the powers of the State Committee 
on Accredited Schools and of the method of selecting this committee; 
provision for state coiomittees on course of study; more definite pro- 
visions as to dates when certain reports must be required; provision for 
teaching children in the state institution for epileptics; provision that 
the history of Texas shall be taught in both the elementary grades and 
the high schools of all public schools; that instruction in citizenship and 
thrift instruction shall be given in every grade of elementary schools 
and the high school; and provision for the teaching of music in all 
public schools, and empowering the State Superintendent to authorize 
the granting, during the school term, of credits for standardized music 
courses taken out of school; provision that in all accredited high schools 
of the first class, all girls, before graduation, shall be required to take a 
prescribed minimum of courses in home economics and home nursing; 
provision that no public school teacher, attendance officer or school 
officer, or public school employe, may deal with text books or school sup- 
plies of any kind either during the school term, or during vacation, if 
remuneration of any kind for such service is received; provision that, 
before dismissal of a teacher or school officer during the term for which 
such teacher or school officer is employed, the person dismissed shall 
be furnished with a written statement as to the causes of dissatisfaction, 
and shall be granted a hearing by the school trustees. 

2. Change^ for Which Amenclm\ents to the Constitution Are Needed. 

a. The apportionment of school funds on a basis of actual attend- 
ance and the number of teachers. 

b. A provision for county school boards to serve six years, some 
members of the board retiring every two years. 

c. Provision for a state tax for the support of state colleges. 

d. Provision for a county tax for the support of public schools. 

e. Provision for a teachers' retirement fund. 

If, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on 
Education, arrangements are carried out for a Constitutional Conven- 
tion, I do not recommend the submission now of amendments embody- 
ing the foregoing suggestions as to constitutional changes. 



A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE NECESSITY FOR MEASURES 

RECOMMENDED. 

1. Enahlir^ Act of the Amendment to Article 3, Section VII of the 
State Constitution, whereby school districts irmy he granted poiuer to 
vote for their schools such support as they <deem necessary. — The im- 
mediate passage of this act is urgent. The total vote was 221,223 for 



—10— 

the amendment and 126.282 ag-ainst it; thus it carried nearly two to one. 
The vote for the amendment was 63.7 per cent of tlie total vote cast on 
this measure. In a number of counties, it lost by less than 100 votes. 
It failed to carry in 47 counties and passed in 200 counties. Six counties 
sent no returns. These fio^ires leave no doubt that the people of Texas 
desire greater liberty in the power to give local support to their schools. 
Out of 805 indejDendent districts, only 48 have now a local tax of more 
than fifty cents of property valuation. Only forty-four have no local 
tax, seven of these being orphans' homes or state institutions. 

Almost every day brings inquiries to the Department of Education as 
to when a higher bcal tax may be voted. One hundred and twenty 
towns, last year, kept their schools open for a nine months' term, through 
private subscription. A very large proportion of the independent dis- 
tricts resorted to the expedient of an increase in property valuations for 
school pur])Oses only. The law docs not give this recourse to the com- 
mon school districts. 

2. Revision of the tax system in such a way as to equalize taxable values 
in the different counties of the state. — By practically all authorities on 
matters of education, it is agreed that state support and local support of 
schools should be equal — that from each source, should come half of the 
revenues necessary for an efficient, school system. . One of the most potent 
causes of dissatisfaction with state taxation for schools is the feeling 
that tax burdens are unequally borne. Some centralized method of 
equalizing renditions of property must be found; if Texas is to develop 
an efficient scliool system for the whole state. I do not doubt that there 
are sources of taxation used by other states for support of their schools, 
whicli in Texas escape this burden, and which could be justly utilized 
to develop a school system second to none in America. 

3. In tbe last biennium the state per capita has l)een increased from 
$7.50 to $14.50. Texas noAv ranks tenth in state support of schools. 
Her place as thirty-ninth in education among the states of the Union 
is caused partly hy the fact that she stands forty-fourth in local sup]X)rt 
of schools. In order that our schools may not take a backward step, 
appropriations for the schools from the general revenues should be con- 
tinued. This year more than two million dollars from the text book 
fund will be used to aid in making the $14.50 per capita. This will be 
greater next year, so that ])robably a second appropriation of $4,000,000 
would supply the necessary revenue. To provide for a first-class system 
of schools $20 per capita is needed from state support, though, under 
present financial conditions, such a state appropriation is probably im- 
possible. The greatest demand in Texas is for well trained teachers 
with maturity and experience. 

4. A Connty Unit System for Texas. — Under the present plan of 
managing schools by the district unit system, Texas rural schools are 
not making rapid improvement as to teachers, nor are th* school funds 
always spent to the best advantage. The Countv Un-'t Svstem Avhich 
I would propose to the Legislature should have the following features: 



—11— 

(1) The appointment of the county superintendent by the county 
board of trustees. 

(3) The placing under the management of the county board and 
the county superintendent, of all school districts, except such as raise 
by local taxation, for the maintenance of their schools an amount equal to 
the amount received for their schools from state and county funds, 
from all sources, or an amount for the maintenance of their schools 
greater than the amount received for their schools from state and county 
' funds, from all sources. 

( 3 ) The granting to the county board the following powers : 

(a) The management of funds for all of these schools. 

(b) The power to fix a salary schedule system, providing certain 
salaries for specified qualifications, and arranging for regular increases 
for improvement and experience, this salary schedule to be effective, 
throughout the county in the schools under their jurisdiction. 

(c) The power to make contracts with teachers, who may be recom- 
mended by district boards or by the county superintendent or by agree- 
ment of both parties. 

(d) The power to rearrange district lines, to consolidate schools, 
and to place rural high schools where they can best serve the county. 

(e) The power to divide schools into groups, placing a competent 
superintendent over each group. 

(f) The power to employ county suj^ervisors for special work, 
wherever the school funds will permit. 

This plan includes the provision that, in the case of sparsely settled 
counties, the State Superintendent, with the approval of the State Board 
of Education, shall be empowered to group these counties into districts, 
each district to be served by a county district superintendent, appointed 
by a board composed of the presidents of the county l)oards of the 
counties constituting the group. In all matters relating to each county 
only, the county board of that county would act with this district 
superintendent. On matters relating to the district as a whole, the board 
of county presidents in joint session would act with the district super- 
intendents. The office of ex-officio county superintendent would, be 
abolished. 

Arguments for Such a Plan. 

(1) Under the present plan of electing the county superintendent 
by the people, the people have little choice as to who serves in this of- 
fice. The best trained men and women, will not, as a rule, offer them- 
selves for a position for which they must make an expensive political 
campaign every two years. The only choice which the people have is 
frequently a choice between two or more poorly trained candidates. 
The people, as a whole, cannot examine into the qualifications of can- 
didates and select the best qualified for the work, as is possible with a 
school board. 

(2) Under the present plan, the county superintendent, even though 
he may be doing excellent work for a county, is frequently changed, 
after four years' service, because of the political prejudice against more 
than two terms. Thus the county loses the advantage of his experience 
and of his knowledge of county conditions, and begins again with an 
untried person who has not this knowledge and experience. The state 



—12— 

also loses the advantage of his sendees because he cannot secure a 
similar position in another county. When a capable county superin- 
tendent is secured, his position ouglit to be permanent so long as he 
gives satisfaction. 

(3) The country child and the country teacher need, even more 
than do the city child and the city teacher, the supervision of trained 
superintendents and supervisors. The method of selecting city super- 
intendents by a city board, has proved generally satisfactory. The 
country child should have the advantage of the same metliod of se- 
lection of a superintendent for country schools. 

(4) Under the present plan, if the county superintendent will not 
perform his duties efficiently, there is no way of protecting the interests 
of the people. He may neglect his duties or he may refuse to obey 
the school laws, but he can continue in office. Even though his certi- 
ficate be cancelled, he can remain county superintendent to the end of 
his term. Under the proposed plan, if the county superintendent 
does not perform his duties, com])laints can be carried to the county 
board, who can investigate charges, and discontinue his seryices when- 
ever they deem such a course justifiable. Tlius the school interests of 
the people will be protected. 

(5) Such a plan does not "take the power out of the hands of the 
people." The people will elect the county board, just as the city peo- 

'ple elect the city board, and will delegate to them power to manage 
their schools. At present, the cit}^, as, well as the country people, vote 
for the county superintendent, so the country people have not ver}^ 
much power in selecting that officer. In selecting the county superin- 
tendent, we should consider the country child, and not the adult poli- 
tician. 

(6) Our present plan is not economical. Tender it each little dis- 
trict stands to itself, ^fuch money is wasted in pioviding separate 
superintendents for each small school. The county board can group 
these, and secure more competent superintendents for each gd'oup, 
devoting much of the money saved to better salaries for more com- 
petent teachers. When the county board have more power, the posi- 
tion will be sought by the best business and professional men and women 
of the county. These will conduct the financial and other business 
affairs of the country schools in a more systematic and business-like 
way than has been the rule in the ]>ast. 

(7) Better teachers will be obtained when these are selected by a 
county board and county superintendent, who arrange a just salary 
schedule for the country schools of a whole county, and make it worth 
while for teachers to return to the same positions to secure increases of 
salary. These positions will become more penuanent and will be sought 
by experienced teachers. 

' Under a county administration teachers who are deserving, and 
striving for efficiency. 'will have greater opportunities for advancement 
and re-employment in the county, even though they may not have met 
with entire success in a given situation. Under the eye of a county 
superintendent, who is responsible for the general character, and ability 
of the teaching corps, and who is looking for ability whenever it can 



—13— 

be founds the teacher will have another opportunity of demonstrating 
her power in a different position. 

Again, the teacher who is incompetent and undeserving will have less 
opportunity to inflict herself upon school districts in the same county. 

Preparation of teachers for the work of supervision of iiiral schools 
is impracticable under the present law. The proposed law widens the 
field so that teachers may take courses in supervision and be employed 
either in county or city, and thus build up a class of professional super- 
visors. In tliis way the county as well as the city would secure expert 
service. 

The county unit should lead to a uniform local tax and a uniform 
term, and all schools under one management should accomplish the 
same work during the year. 

(8) The position of ex-officio county superintendent should be 
abolished. The county judge has usually little leisure and no train- 
ing for school work. The sparsely settled districts need the services 
of trained school men and women. 

(9) Experience of other states has proved that a county unit plan, 
such as is here outlined, is the best for small schools of a state. Under 
such plans, immediate and steady improvement has resulted. No state, 
having tried this plan, has ever returned to the old one-district system, 
with a county superintendent elected by the people. 

5. The Tea-f Bool- Lair. — As the present Text Book Commission 
is constituted, it consists too largely of those who do not actually teach 
children, and are, therefore, not the best judges of texts suitable for 
children. I would respectfully suggest a Text Book Commission of 
ten members, five of whom shall be elementary teacliers, who will select 
books for the primary and intermediate grades, and five of whom shall 
be high school teachers or principals, w^ho shall select the books for 
high schools. 

Under the present law, the process of reckoning with a text book 
company that fails to keep its contract is too slow for effective service. 
Power should be granted to the State Board of Education to cancel con- 
tracts for persistent failure to keep a contract, or to assess a suitable 
penalty or to take action in case of a company that sells a book higher 
than at the price specified. I have endeavored for two years to enforce 
the law, without securing a single penalty. 

The present Text Book Commission, by my recommendation, has 
endeavored to arrange the length of term of the present contracts so 
that contracts on not more than one-sixth of the total number of dif- 
ferent books will expire in any one year. This provision should be 
placed in the law. No board can properly examine books for a selec- 
tion of twenty or thirty texts, at one comparatively brief period of time. 
In the past the boards have complained of lack of time to raiake as 
careful a selection as they would like. As Texas has so large a pro- 
portion of poorly prepared rural teachers, especial care in the selection 
of text books is needed in this state. The provision that not more than 
one-sixth of the total number of different texts adopted, may be 
changed in any one year, will be more economical than our present law. 
The law now provides that, if companies offer to renew their contracts, 



—14— 

only one text per year may be changed. ' The present commission liave 
informed me that, on several occasions, but for tliis provision, they 
could have secured better books at lower prices than the books they 
■were forced to renew. The Commission should be left a certain amount 
of freedom to do its best for the state. Some of our present texts 
have been adopted at prices higher than will be obtainable in a few 
years. Under the present plan, it would be possible for a company to 
hold one contract for eighteen years. 

The experience of the past two years indicates that it is necessary 
to change the method of distributing text books to the common school 
districts. The plan of the text book law originally provided for several 
large depositories in different parts of the state, and a county deposi- 
tory for each county. This plan was abandoned because the contracts 
already made with the book companies required them to ship the books 
to the schools, and compensated them for doing this. 

The plan of shipping books directly to the schools was adopted also 
as promising economy, because each time the books are handled adds 
to the expense. Tliis plan would have worked, had most of the trustees 
and teachers been efficient. It has been a success in the independent 
districts, but has not, in my opinion, been satisfactory in the common 
school districts, where so large a percentage of the teachers are imma- 
ture and untrained. I felt that the law should be given a fair trial 
for at least one year when books were obtainal)le. The first year was 
not a fair test, as the unusual labor and shipping conditions following 
the war made it impossil)le for the book companies to su])ply the books 
promptly. 

The first requisitions for books were, too frequently, incorrectly made, 
especially those of the common school districts, where a majority of 
the teachers are young, and untrained in making even the simple re- 
ports required. . Many schools could not be induced to make requisitions 
until the late summer, and some were delayed until even the fall and 
winter. The law did not actually go into effect until about the first 
of June, 1919, though the Department of Education, realizing the im- 
portance of prompt action, attempted to put it into effect from the time 
of its passage in March. I had no power to enforce its provisions, as 
there was no law till June. A further hindrance was the bond required 
of custodians. ]\lany refused to make the bond or to order the books, 
and then changed their minds, too late for prompt service. ^Many cus- 
todians, incensed hy non-receipt of books, refused to sign and return 
receipts for those received, still further complicating the work of the 
depositories and the State Department of Education. 

I did my best to secure the books, by admonishing and threatening 
the book companies, and by frequent visits to the dejw&itories, and con- 
stant publicity in the newspapers. In addition, I had, in the spring of 
1919, held at Waco a special meeting with county superintendents, to 
explain the law and urge promptness, and had repeated this instruction 
in the summer at a series of rural life conferences in all parts of the 
state. 

While many of the county superintendents did all in their power 
to aid in effective distribution of text books, too large a number made 
political capital out of the situation and endeavored to stir up dissatis- 



—15— 

faction among teachers, pupils, and patrons. Instead of explaining the 
war and labor conditions, and the responsibility also of those whose 
errors and lack of co-o^jeration had caused delay, these, at every oppor- 
tunity, laid the blame of lack of books upon the State Department of 
Education. Many of these county superintendents sent in requisitions 
with no attempt whatever to perform their duty in correcting the errors 
of inexperienced teachers. Some lacked the ability to see and correct 
these errors. 

A book shortage would have been inevitable whether under a free- 
text-book system, or under the system previously obtaining; and one 
has always occurred in the past when books were changed; but dissat- 
isfaction was enhanced by not receiving something that had been prom- 
ised to be free. 

Erroneous statements have been made as to surpluses of books now 
in the schools and as to the care of books. 

The law provides for each school to have on hand a fifteen per cent 
surplus of books. It requires strictly that all books not in use shall be 
kept under lock and key. 

There is no doubt that a larger surplus than the legal one exists in some 
counties, and the surplus, as a rule, is larger in the counties where we 
have had the least co-operation from the county superintendents. 

Such surpluses as have occurred are due generally, to three causes: 

(1) failure of text l)0ok companies to fill their contracts last year; 

(2) inaccurately made requisitions; (3) carelessness and lack of co- 
operation of some county superintendents. 

Conditions following the war, and delay of teachers and trustees in 
making book orders, forced the depositories, on account of the book 
shortage, to send the books as they could be obtained, instead of in 
one shipment, to each school. Many schools, failing to receive the full 
original order, sent in an emergency order for the same books, in spite 
of instructions to the contraiy, and in spite of assurances that orders 
would be filled as promptly as the supplies obtainable would permit. 
Some book custodians, angered at the delay and disregarding their re- 
sponsibility to the schools, refused to accept books when they arrived, 
and a laborious process followed of locating these and disposing of 
them. All teachers and superintendents were instnicted not to include 
in tliis year's requisitions, l)Ooks not received last year, as these orders 
would be filled when books were available; but in many cases these in- 
structions were not followed. 

From this situation, the State Department of Education has been 
steadily working to bring order out of chaos. A system of transferring 
books from one district to another, was adopted last year. Wherever 
the county superintendent could be induced to assist, districts having a 
surplus, transferred books to those districts which needed them. Tliis 
was easily arranged, merely by making a record of credits and debits, 
as all books are state property. By a system of text book reports — 
from nearly ten thousand districts — we endeavored, in the spring of 1920, 
to secure all information necessary to check up and pay the claims of 
the depositories. But many teachers made no reports, and many of those 
sent in, were so inaccurate, as shown by our records, as to be worthless. 
There still remain a number of orders which will not 1 e paid until 1 



—16— 



can ascertain that the books have been received. Last year's experience 
has shown that complete reports cannot be secnred witW iS. ^^ 
salaries a recourse which the law provides. After failure to o-e?"th7s 
mfomiation without holding back salaries, I have issued order." applv 
mg to those schools which have not sent properlv signed receipts for ther- 
books, requiring that these reports must be in^the^anrof^he county 
superintendents before the vouchers for the January work are approved' 
The spirit of a few teachers has been shown in a protest a-Wt Ibt 
very reasonable request. The report is not difficult' to makf a blank 
being furnished. I have reason to believe that, in most of sich ca4 
the teachers have been led into this attitude b^ certain princ ^1.^ 
superintendents ^^o desire to gain from the situation a ittle ublicitv 
for themselves. The rural school supervisors are aiding in th woS 
as one of the duties which I impose upon them is, in visilfng each scZol 
the'books!"" ""'''" '^ *'"' ^''^ supplies^nd the Le taken of 

In order to collect all surplus books, and to take up all texts un- 
claimed at post offices and express offices, I began, in the summer, to 
md tfL'tb ' depositories, wherever the county superintendent would 

Twon d L 1 •'' 1- \^^^ V? '"'^^^ ^° ^^'' legislative committees that 
I ^^ould do this, when I asked for an increase of salarv for the countv 
superintendents. • ^ uul\ 

Where there is a surplus, it does not mean a "waste to the «tate " 
as where a county has more books than will be needed, they will be 
transferred or returned to the depository. A small surplus of texts 
m each of a hundred or more schools, becomes a large surplus when 
transferred to one county depository. Books are paid for by the state 
only when ordered on two kinds of requisitions. The regular requisi- 
tion must be approved by the State Department of Education, l/efore 
the order is filled. The emergency requisition mav be filled without 
this approval, but must be signed by the president of the school board 
and IS sent later to the State Department of Education * The^e ac- 
counts are not paid until it is ascertained that the books ordered on 
requisitions have been received. Orders filled by any depository, with- 
out the authority of requisitions, would be a loss to the depository as 
the state would not pay such accounts. Therefore, if. as some people 
have stated, there is a tendency on the part of the book companies to 
send books to a school "whether they are needed or not,"' this would be 
an expensive tendency for any companv, as the state would not pay 
tor the books, unless they had been ordered. Where statements have 
been made that books had Ijccn sent without requisitions, investit^ations 
have shown that, with the exception of a very few missent box?s the 
books received were listed on the requisition.^ Wherever a surplus of 
books occurs, it has resulted from the fact that the local autliorities 
have sent in requisitions for more books than were neetlod. 

Reports generally from most parts of tlie state indicate that the 
children are taking better care of the state-owned books than they for- 
merly did of their own. Whether thev observe the law in this respect 
or not, depends upon the attitude and the efficiency of their own teach- 
ers and superintendents. Some districts last year reported not a sino-Jc 
book lost or so badly injured tliat it could not be used again. ^ 



^ 



—17— 

The statement made by some that the surplus of books in some schools 
has caused an increase of taxes is erroneous. The regular annual tax 
for text books is 15 cents, and what is not needed for books, goes into 
the available school fund. More than two million dollars will, this 
3'ear, accrue to the available school fund from this source. Thus all 
that teachers can save on text books, goes to increase the fund 
from which their own salaries are paid; it is thus to the financial ad- 
vantage of teachers to take good care of the books. Whatever surplus 
there may be, this session, will cause fewer books to be needed next ses- 
sion, and will leave, probably, a larger amount next year for the avail- 
able school fund. Books not actually needed will be returned to the 
book companies. The actual waste to the state has come through a 
vast amount of unnecessary correspondence, unnecessary handling of 
requisitions many times, and payment of interest on accounts, parts of 
which must be held up until receipts and statements can be secured. 
Some of this, as shown, is due to neglect and inefficiency of teachers 
and coimty superintendents, and some to war conditions, affecting al- 
most every activity of the nation, and of every other nation. 

But the entire annual cost of book distribution, including the five 
per cent commissions paid to custodians, interest on unpaid accounts, 
salaries of employes, printing of thousands of blanks for requisitions 
and reports, furniture, files, postage, and supplies, has not equaled ten 
per cent of the cost of the books, this ten per cent being the clediicction 
which the book companies make on the contract price, in selling books 
to the state, instead of selling books to the children through retail deal- 
ers. Formerly they paid the dealers ten per cent. Now the state re- 
ceives this ten per cent deduction, and it has gained financially as to 
this method. 

The facts stated here should not reflect upon the many teachers, 
principals, and county superintendents, who have done their best at a 
time trying for all. In spite of the fact that several series of supple- 
mentary readers were, for the first time, put into use, in addition to the 
regular texts, the text books have cost, during two years, less than the 
first estimate. Comparatively few exchange books were 'sent in last 
year. If this neglect is remedied this year, the expense will be further 
reduced. The general report from teachers has been, that the children 
have never learned to read so well, as since free text books were sup- 
plied, and have never before had all of the books they actually needed, 
until the state furnished them. No law can be made perfect until it is 
tested. To put in a state-wide system of books, readjust supjjlies, and 
revise the law, where shown to be ineffective, is a real achievement even 
for two years, under conditions following such a war. With less politics 
and more co-operation and worTc it could have been accomplished sooner 
at smaller expense. 

Whether free text books will, in the end, prove a real economy 'to 
the state, will be ascertainable by figures, only after a trial of several 
years — during a period sufficiently long to determine the average 
time of service of a book. From; the standpoint of greater efficiency 
in the schools, it seems to be the general opinion now, that free books 
are worth while. 

A criticism without a knowledge of the facts, has been made as to the 



—18— 

change of United States Histories. I am informed by the State Text 
Book Commission that the company could not renew the old contract, 
because of worn-out plates. The company agreed to continue the old 
books in use until they are worn out, and, wherever there is a surplus 
of their books already in the schools, to bear the expense of transferring 
this surplus to schools needing the books. New books will not he used 
until the present supply is worn out, and even then, the company will 
take up the old books in exchange. 

As to changes needed in the text book law, several plans have been 
proposed. One is to apportion the text book fund to the districts and 
let each district purchase its own books. I do not recommend this, for 
several reasons: (1) In many districts where the children most need 
the help of the state, a sufficient supply of books would not be furnish- 
ed. (2) The small districts would be helpless in securing supplies 
promptly. (3) Many trustees woidd neglect to place orders for books, 
without some central authority to see to the matter for them. (4) The 
surplus in some districts would be larger than at present, with no plan 
of readjustment ; as the kind of persons who have managed so inefficiently 
under the present system, would not improve under a new one. (5) 
Such a plan would be the opening wedge to destroy state unifomiity 
of books, and, for this reason, this plan is always advocated by many 
of the book com])anies. (6) By such a plan funds for text l)ooks would 
be apportioned for children not actually in school.. I liave. during the 
past two years, kept certain, book companies from forcing all of the 
schools to order more of the supplementary^ readers and other texts than 
were actually required. 

I recommend the plan of distril)uting books to the common school 
districts through county depositories, and the continuation of the pres- 
ent phm in regard to the independent districts, as this will be less ex- 
pensive. We shall never secure prompt service from all of the book 
companies until a quicker plan of assessing penalties than the present 
one is adopted. The State Board of Education should be given power 
to cancel contracts in cases of persistent failure to keep contracts, or to 
assess penalties for non-observance of the law. If they possessed a 
power of im])osing ]ienalties, in regard to book companies, or to teach- 
ers and school officers who fail or refuse to perform their duties, a much 
greater efficiency would result even though the power should be used 
but rarely. The fact that some authority has the power to act promptly 
would be potent in securing results. A statement of text book expendi- 
tures follows among the statistical reports at the close of this pamphlet 
(page 52). 

REPORT OF THE STATE TEXT BOOK COMMISSIOX. 

The law makes the State Superintendent of Public Instruction the 
secretarv^ of the State Text Book Commission. But, as has oc- 
curred in the past, the present State Sui)erintendent is disqualified 
from serving on this Commission, because of the fact that she is the 
author of two text books. In her campaign for the office, she made 
the pledge that no book of liers should be submitted for adoption while 
she was in office. She has fallowed the policy of absolutely refraining 



—19— 

from advising the Text Book Commission on any matters, except that 
they should act on one consideration only — to secure for the children 
of the state the best books possible, at the lowest cost. All communi- 
cations from her to the Commission in regard to text books have been 
made at open sessions to the Commission as a body, and show on the 
minutes of the Commission. The Governor appointed, to fill the place 
of the State Superintendent on the Text Book Commission, the First 
Assistant State Superintendent, who acts as secretary of the Commis- 
sion, and who offers the following report : 

January 5, 1921. 

To the HonorcihU Annie Wehh Blanton, State Superintendent of Piib- 

lic Instruction. 

As Secretary of the State Text Book Commission, I am submitting 
a brief report of the work of the Commission during the two years of 
your administration. 

The retiring Commission was called in session January 17, 1919, 
only a short time after you had assumed office. This Commission, acting 
under the present law enacted by the Thirty-fifth Legislature, had made 
adoptions in December, 1918, in all text books authorized by the Com- 
mission Act. The meeting of January, 1919, was merely to sign contracts 
and to have the companies execute bonds. At your suggestion as State 
Superintendent, clauses were inserted in all contracts requiring the 
book companies to allow the state the same discount as that formerly 
allowed to book dealers and exchange privileges if the Legislature 
should pass the Free Text Book Law. Since the Free Text Book Law 
was passed by the Thirty-sixth Legislature soon after these contracts 
were made, these proved to be wise provisions and have been the source 
of a great saving to the state. 

The Commission appointed by Governor Hobby in 1919, consisted of 
the following members: Mrs. Ella F. Little, Miss Myra C. Winkler, 
Miss Lizzie M. Barbour, Messrs. B. B. Cobb, W. T. Lofland, Lee Clark, 
P.* E. Wallace and E. L. Dohoney, the Governor being chairman as 
provided by law. 

■ This Commission was called in session December 8, 1919. The sec- 
retary reported that contracts were expiring September 1, 1920, in 
language, grammar,. United States history, writing and a primary 
supplementary book in arithmetic. The Commission decided to make 
no adoption in the supplementary arithmetic and requested the Governor 
to advertise for bids in the other subjects. This was done and the Com- 
mission was called to meet on January 12, .1920, to receive bids. In the 
meantime Miss Eachel Watson of Denison, Texas, was appointed on the 
Commission to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mrs. Ella 
F. Little. 

The Commission convened on Januar}^ 12, 1920, and when bids were 
examined it was found that prices had advanced materially over those 
under which the state was then buying its books. In view of this fact 
and the fact that the state was supplied with a stock of new text books, 
it was the decision of the Commission to make as few changes as pos- 
sible at a minimiim expense. Accordingly, no changes were made at 
this time except in the system of writing books; the system in use 
was old and out of date and the Commission thought a change desirable. 



—20— 

In September, 1920, Miss Lizzie M. Barbour resigned from the Com- 
mission and j\Iiss Mary Marrs of Stephenville was appointed to fill 
the vacancy. 

The Commission was called in session September 20, 1920, to hear 
a report from tlie Secretary as to contracts expiring September 1, 1921. 
The report showed that the following contracts would terminate Sep- 
tember 1, 1921: language and grammar, U. S. histoiy (Ttli grade), 
American history (high school), geographies, Texas history and the 
Story of Cotton, a supplementary book in agriculture. It was decided 
that since the state was supplying two other texts in Agriculture, a 
supplementary l)ook was not needed and the contract was not renewed. 
Tlie Governor was requested to ask for bids on the other subjects and 
the Commission adjourned to meet Xovember 13, 1920. 

The Commission met at the call of the Chairman, November 13, 
1920, and received numerous bids on the subjects under consideration. 
It was found that prices had increased materially over those submitted 
in December, 1918, and in January, 1920. The only books offered at 
the old prices were the geogi-aphies. The Commission renewed the con- 
tracts for the geographies and rejected all other bids. The Governor 
was requested to ask for new bids on other subjects and that the lan- 
guage bids be made on a five-book series. 

The Commission convened on December 29, 1920, to receive bids 
to meet the requirements of the Commission. When these bids were 
opened and tabulated, it was foimd that some companies had submitted 
lower bids and that the five-book series in language would result in 
a saving of about one hundred thousand dollars to the state. 

The Commission has earnestly sought to secure for the children of 
the state the best text books published at the most economical cost. 
It is now estimated from the bids before us, that new contracts may be 
made at an approximate cost of thirty cents per capita. We feel that 
our action has, to some extent, permitted the transfer from the Text 
Book Fund to the Available School Fund the large surplus which with 
the special appropriation of four million dollars, has made possible 
the largest per capita apportionment in the historj^ of the state. 

The Text Book Commission Act provides for the payment of per 
diem and traveling expenses of all members except the chairman and 
secretary and for incidental expenses. I am submitting a financial 
statement covering the expenses of the Commission for the two A'ears, 
September, 1919, to August 31, 1920. 

On behalf of tlie Commission, permit me to thank you for your 
hearty co-operation with the Commission and the valual)le suggestions 
made to the members in open sessions. 
Kespectfully, 

E. L. DOHOXEY, 

Secretary of the Text Book Commission. 



—21— 

Expenses of The Text Book Commission : 

Sept. 1, 1918, to Aug. 31, 1919 Sept. 1, 1919, to Aug. 31, 1920. 
Traveling expenses, hotel 

bills and meals $1,027.95 $ 619.14 

Per diem 735.00 485.00 

Advertising for bids, 

stenogTaphic help, etc. 1,330.45 294.20 



TOTALS $3,093.40 $1,398.34 

6. Revision of tJie Compulsory Attendance Late. — In Texas the 
average time of leaving school is the sixth grade. One-fourth of Texas 
children do not advance beyond the fourth grade. Only one-tenth of 
the pupils who enter the elementary schools reach the high school. 
Texas outranks every other state of the Union in the proportion ol its 
high school graduates who afterwards attend college. This fact shows 
that if a Texas child is given sufficient education to enable him to 
realize its value, he will do the rest. Approximately fifty per cent 
of the college students in our state schools are wholly or partially self- 
supporting. 

In literacy, Texas stands thirty-fifth among the states of the Union. 
Those below her in this respect, given xd the order of their rank, are 
Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Xew M.exico, North 
Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina and 
Louisiana. 

The history of Mexico, of Eussia, and of every other uneducated, or 
poorly educated nation or state, gives evidence that a people without 
education, or with insufficient education, soon lose possession of their 
most valuable natural resources, to better educated or more skilled lead- 
ers from without. 

The statistics of wealth show that productive capacity rises and falls 
directly with the increase or decrease of education and training in a 
state or nation. 

Moreover, the ideals of the citizens of a state depend to a large ex- 
tent upon their educational training. If Texas is to preserve the tra- 
ditions of ideal citizenship, as derived from her early heroes, she must 
safeguard the rights of her children to have an opportunity for an 
education. 

Eeports indicate, in most j)arts of the state, great improvement in 
the enforcement of the compulsory attendance law. There are cer- 
tain sections in which local prejudices are so strongly against enforce- 
ment that the law is not strictly carried out. Powers should be granted 
to the State Superintendent, with the approval of the State Board of 
Educaion, to require, in such districts, that the law be observed. Pro- 
vision should be made for the gi'adual raising of the compulsory term 
to 160 days, of the grade of exemption to the eighth grade, and of the 
age of exemption to sixteen years. Provision should be made for part- 
time continuation schools and night schools, for pupils who do not 
complete a high school course. 

From the time of State Superintendent Baker, nearly all state super- 



—22— 

intendents have pointed out the danger to the state of permitting the 
children to grow up in Texas without hanng learned to speak the 
English language. Texas has a law requiring that the English language 
shall be the medium of instruction in public schools ; but it is one of 
the few states of the Union which does not require this also as to pri- 
vate and sectarian schools. I recommend such a provision in tbe com- 
pulsory attendance law as Avill require (1) that all private and sec- 
tarian schools and private tutors shall register in the office of the county 
superintendent; (2) that by September 1, 1922, all private and sec- 
tarian schools and private tutors must make the English lan- 
g-uage the medium of instruction; and (3) that by Septemljor 1. 1924, 
all private and sectarian schools and all private tutors, wbose work is 
accepted in lieu of public scbool training, must conform, substantially, 
to public school standards. No school which educates future Texas cit- 
izens has a right to^ object to such requirements, and the future safety 
of our democratic institutions demands that they be made. 

7. Continiiafion of the Special Two-Million DoUnr Appropria.iion 
for Rural Schools. — The Justice of Such. Appropriation. — Statistics show 
that a majority of those who receive the benefits of the provision for 
bigher education in our state, are the products of the city or town 
schools. The country child, as a rule, has not been able to take ad- 
vantage of the college training- which his state provides. This special 
aid for small schools is a just provision to balance, in a measure, the 
special opportunities which the city child enjoys, not l)y special intent 
of his state, but tlirough more fortunate conditions. ^Moreover, since 
all country districts contribute to the building up of the towns and 
cities, it is just that they, in turn, should aid in rural development, l)y 
assisting in providing for rural schools. 

State Aid is based on two principles — that of making it possible for 
weak schools to hold a longer term, and that of providing inducements 
for local communities to improve school conditions. Under the pro- 
visions of tlie law, school-house shanties in rural districts are being 
replaced l)y modern sanitary buildings, neglected school grounds are 
being kept in a tidy condition, and, often, beautified; necessary- school 
equipment and libraries, formerly lacking, are being provided; com- 
fortable modern desks and seats are replacing antiquated benches; 
sanitarv toilets are being put on rural school grounds ; simple sani- 
tary drinking fountains are replacing the water-bucket and the dipper 
shared by all; free transportation is l)ecoming common; one-teacher 
schools are giving way to consolidated schools where grading of pupils 
is possible; and inducements are being offered to tlie rural teacber to 
improve her scholarship and to remain in the same country school and 
give to the rural child the benefit of her previous experience. The 
granting of the ajipropriations on conditions requiring local communi- 
ties to improve their schools, has caused, probably, the exjyenditure, 
bv local districts, of amounts for school improvement, equal in the ag- 
gregate, to tbe total state appropriations; thus these a])pro]>riations, 
by the conditions imposed, have doubled their value to tlie schools of 
the state. 

A community values what it works for and takes in it a local pride. 



—23— 

The holding out of a standard to reach, and of inducements to work 
to tliat standard has done and will continue to do much for the rural 
schools. The visits of the state supervisors are of benefit to the rural 
teachers, rural trustees, and county superintendents, and aid in bring- 
ing about rmity in the school system and the establishment of higher 
standards of work. The classification of elementary schools by the 
State EHepartment of Education, a work begun by this administration, 
Avill aid in strengthening elementary schools, as, in the past, the classifi- 
cation of high schools has strengthened high school education and 
placed college training on a sound basis. 

In its special support of rural schools, Texas ranks first among the 
states of the Union. Aside from state pride, aside from any moral, 
religious, or humanitarian considerations, on a purely commercial basis, 
the state should continue this policy of developing rural schools, as an 
economic necessity. 

The problem of keeping workers on the farm is a business, an eco- 
nomic problem. Men able to leave the farm will not remain where 
they cannot educate their children. Texas must take good schools to 
the country if agriculture is not to suffer disaster. Our state is sixty- 
nine per cent rural. Every enterprise in Texas is now handicapped 
by lack of educated and skilled workers — farms, factories, mines, com- 
mercial enterprises, chemical and physical industries. There is no bet- 
ter way to build l^]) any community than to let it be known as one in 
which good schools are provided. 

8. Yomtional Edu cat ion.— Before the passage of tlie Smith-Hughes 
law, the state of Texas was annually appropriating $50,000 for special 
aid in teaching agriculture in the schools. Since the provisions of this 
law were accepted, the state has, in the carrying out of its provisions, 
used of its appropriations for vocational education, less than this amount. 
A report giving figures as to expenditures follows in the latter part 
of this pamphlet, (page 40). The state should continue to develop 
vocational training by extending this kind of education more and more 
into the rural districts. It can be easily demonstrated that, from a purely 
monetary standpoint, no other training is better worth while. Our 
state must advance, in a material way, l)y increasing the productive 
power of the individual and enhancing his skill, ancl economic inde- 
pendence of the farmer of the future, will depend upon the training in 
agriculture given to the present generation. Federal funds for the re- 
habilitation of persons injured in industry have l)een assigned to Texas, 
and can be used when a like appropriation is made by the state. 

9. A Scliool Surveif for Texas. — Experience of other states has jiroved 
the value of "taking stock"' educationally. The cost of a school survey 
for Texas would be economy in the end. With the knowledge gained 
through such a survey, ancl with the advice of impartial experts as 
to what is needed to give Texas a system of education second to none 
in America, future steps towards educational progress can be taken with 
a certainty not always felt in the past. 



—24— 

10. Increasing the Powers of the State Board of Education. — Tt has 
been said, many times, that Texas has no educational system — it has 
a number of schools. It is impossible to carry out any plans for educa- 
tion in the state as a whole, so long as no one power has authority to 
put them into execution. The scliool laws of Texas constitute our 
general educational plans, and what system we have. These laws pro- 
vide, only, recourse to the courts, in case of school officials who refuse 
to obey their provisions, and such recourse is too slow of operation, too 
expensive, and too difficult of execution, to be effective. There are, too 
frequently, cases of school officials who hold their position illegally, 
by right of possession only; of school officials who openly and persist- 
ently refuse to obey the laws, and who, for these and other causes, should 
be removed. !N"o other matter causes more frequent difficulties than 
those of .school district boundaries, and some state authority should have 
the power to settle such difficulties, on appeal, without the necessity for 
legislative action in each case. To place with the State Board of Edu- 
cation the power to act in matters such as are specified above would, 
in two ways, bring about good results: (1) action could be taken 
promptly and with less expense; (2) offenders, knowing that some state 
body has authority over them, would be less likely to commit the of- 
fences. 

11. Provision for a State Board of PuhTic School Regents. — The 
same arguments that apply to the appointment of a county superinten- 
dent by a county board, ajiply with almost equal cogency to the appoint- 
ment of a state superintendent by a state board. While it is true that 
a person without scholarship or experience is less likely to be chosen 
for the state office than for the county office, still it is true that the con- 
stant intrusion of attempts at political influence, the temporary na- 
ture of the position, and the expense of political campaigns, make the 
place less likely to be sought by those who have the education, the per- 
sonal characteristics, and the special training essential to efficiency in 
a position requiring the exercise of the highest intellectual ability, the 
sanest common-sense, the clearest and most logical faculties of judg- 
ment, and the most unbending integrity and honor. The creation of a 
State Board of Public School Eegents, who would have in charge the 
affairs of the State Department of Education, who would have certain 
powers as to enforcement of school policies for the state as a whole, 
who would exercise a general direction in carrying out ])lans for edu- 
cational progress in the state, would be a long step towards the estab- 
lishment of a system of public school for Texas; for a system always im- 
plies well-thought-out plans put into execution in an orderly way, with 
some po\ver at the head having authority to carry out its policies. Such 
a board should be appointed by the governor, should serve without re- 
muneration, and should have six-year terms, one third of the members 
retiring every two years. 

Xow that "the inspection and classification of public schools and col- 
leges has become a function of the State Department of Education, a 
frequent change of administration operates against the satisfactory ac- 
crediting of our schools. The best type of trained teacher is needed for 
this dutv. The work will not generally be sought by the type of person 



wliom the state should employ foi' this purpose, so long as the positions 
are temporary and the remuneration less than that received in our best 
high schools and such positions are necessarily temporary, so long as the 
office of State Superintendent is elective. On the subject of the im- 
portance of an efficient State Department of Education, to the educa- 
tional interests of the state, the National Education Association, at 
its last meeting, passed the following resolution : 

"Since the progress of education in the state as a whole is largely 
dependent upon wise and efficient leadership by the State Department 
of Education, and since in many states, such departments are placed 
on a plane of professional preparation and of remuneration, which im- 
pairs their efficiency, we favor the recognition by legislatures and by 
the public, of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or State 
Commissioner of Education, as the chief executive and administrative 
officer of the entire educational system of the state, and we recommend 
that, in the preparation of state budgets, the State Department of 
Education be classed with the state's highest educational institutions. 
We hold that educators employed in the State Departments of Educa- 
tion should be placed on the same basis, both as to scholastic require- 
ments and as to remuneration, as are those of the state's highest educa- 
tional institutions." 

The salary of the State Superintendent is now fixed by statute at 
$4000. Were I intending to remain in this office for several terms, I 
should not suggest that this ought to be changed. I shall not be a candi- 
date for a third term, and, though I do not request that any increase 
shall be made while I am in office, I feel that the State of Texas should 
in the future, place this office on a financial basis more nearly equal 
to that of our college presidents. Salaries of presidents in our best 
state colleges range from $7500 to $5500. I therefore, recommend, that 
this salary, in the future, be placed at $5000. This salary is in line 
with those paid in other states. For example, Pennsylvania pays its 
state superintendent $12,000; New York and New Jersey, $ld,000; 
Illinois, $6,000 ; Wisconsin, California, Ehode Island, Delaware, In- 
diana, Nebraska, Minnesota, Alabama, $5,000. Most of these states 
are asking, this year, for an increase on these figures. 

Assistant superintendents perform, largely, the same duties as do the 
state superintendents. They must be persons with university training 
and long experience in school work. They must also be persons of 
ability, tact, and good judgment. In other states much larger salaries 
are paid for this office than in Texas. For example, Pennsylvania pays 
the assistant superintendents from $7500 to $6000 ; New York, $5300 ; 
New Jersey, $5000 : Wisconsin, $4500 ; Alabama and Louisiana, $4000. 
Salaries of university professors and heads of college departments in 
Texas vary from $3500 to $5000. The following are some salaries of 
city superintendents, whose duties are no more exacting and require 
no more training and experience than do those of assistant state superin- 
tendents: Dallas, $7300; Houston, $6000; San Antonio, $6000; Bea.u- 
mont, $6000; Brownsville, $4000; Cleburne, $3600; El Paso, $4200; 
McAllen, $4000: Temple, $4000. 

I have received notice from two of my assistant superintendents that 



—26— 

tliev will not be able to remain longer than this year at the present sal- 
ary. I have recently lost one of them. 

In the past, school supervisors have not received remuneration ap- 
propriate for trained teachers. Both my predecessor and I have been 
criticized for employing supervisors too young for the work. We have 
secured the best available for the salary. These supervisors must be 
persons of special education and experience. 1 employ as high school 
supervisor no one who has not a University degree. Each must be a 
specialist in some line, as science, Latin, English, etc. They are now 
receiving less than the high school teachers whose work they supervise. 
Other states are ]>aying higher salaries for this work than does 
Te.xas. :\richigan i)ays supervisors from $4500 to $3000; Florida, $3000: 
Ala])ama, $4000. $3500, $3300, $3000, $2400; :\Iississippi, $4000, $3:50; 
$3500, $2400; Minnesota, $4000, $3500; Missouri, $4000, $3000, $2400; 
Georgia, $3000; New York, $4800, $3250; CaJifornia, $4000; Virginia, 
$3000; Indiana, $0000 to $2400; North Carolina, $3600; South Caro- 
lina, $3000. The following are some salaries paid in Texas high schools, 
upon the work of which these sujjervisors must pass judgment: Dallas, 
$4000; teachers. $2000 to $3000; San Antonio, $3300; teachers, $1500 
to $3000; Waco, $2500; Fort Worth, $2750; Port Arthur, $2500. Most 
towns have increased salaries this year. These are last year's figures. 

In the Department of Education, most of the work must be done by 
persons having special educational training. Errors which, in other 
departments, might be accepted as excusable, are when they relate to 
education, severely censured. For efficient em])loyes, the State Depart- 
ment of Education must compete with the public schools and the col- 
leges, as the supply of the well trained and the ex})erienced is always 
limited; and this department should not be placed, perpetually, at a fi- 
nancial disadvantage as regards the power to do this successfully. If 
it is an important ]iart of the educational system, it should be so recog- 
nized. 

The State Department of Education has not now suHicient space for 
the ])roper filing of records or for the educational material and exhibits 
which it should secure and use. As soon as the finances of the state will 
permit, Texas should follow the custom of some other states, in provid- 
ing for this department a special building, where records and exhibits 
may be placed so as to be used for the best advantage of the ]niblic school 
interests. 

I desire to reaffirm a former statement — that, in. case a State i^oard of 
Public School Regents such as I have reconnnended, should Ije created, 
I should, imder no circumstances, be an applicant for the position of 
State Superintendent through their ai>pointment, nor would I accept 
this appointment, if offered to me. 

12. Provision for ClrUrl-Mclfdrc Worlc, in ( 'oo/yni/iu/; 11(7'/ ilic Par- 
ent-Teacher Organizotions. — The Hon. P. P. Claxton, United States 
Commissioner of Education, has said, "The biggest thing in this na- 
tion, so far as I can see, is the fullest possible development and use of 
the Parent-Teacher Associations. It is the keystone of a vigorous, vir- 
tuous democracy." Texas has this organization, eap^er to extend its use 
for the public schools. "Many Sintc De])aitments of Education now have 



—27— 

a department especially to work for the organization of such associations 
in connection with each public school, to aid in directing their work for 
the best interests of the schools, and to co-operate, also, with their ad- 
visory bodies, in carrying out their plans for school improvement. Such 
organizations will be the best friends of the one-teacher school, and will 
be a force for improvement wherever formed. There is no money which 
the state could spend which will give a greater return than would the 
small sum necessary to carry on this work. 

13. Provision for a Coristifufionnl Convrnfioii. — Those changes of 
the State Constitution which are most necessary for an efficient public 
school system are as follows : 

(1) The apportionment of the school funds on a basis of actual at- 
tendance and the number of teachers. 

(2) Pro\dsion for county school boards to serve six years, some mem- 
bers of the board retiring every two ^^ears. 

(3) Provision for a state tax for the support of state colleges. 

(4) Provision for a county tax for public school purposes. 

(5) Provision for a teacher's retirement fund. 

As a convention for framing a new State Constitution will prol)ably 
be held in the near future, I respectfully recommend that insteacl of sub- 
mitting these educational changes as amendments to the Constitution, the 
Tliirty-seventh Legislature make provision for holding such a convention. 
While it is true that this same proposal was defeated little more than 
a year ago, this defeat was due largely to the attitude of the women, 
who desired that the State Constitution should not be revised until 
the women citizens might have a voice in forming the new Constitution. 
It was the opinion of the Committee on Education that, by the spring 
of 1922, conditions would again be normal and advantageous for the 
holding of such a convention. 

Our present method of basing school apportionments on the scholas- 
tic census, puts a premium on fraud and on non-attendance at school. 
California has, perhaps, the best plan of apportionment. The state 
gives a certain sum per teacher, allowing, Avhere more than one teacher 
is needed, one teacher for each thirty children. The county and the 
district, together, are required to raise a sufficient amount to increase 
this sum to $900 per teacher. The district may raise by local taxation 
such additional funds as it needs or desires. According to the latest 
information which I have, the state gives $20 per child, counting as the 
number of children, the average attendance of the preceding year. This 
amounts, then, on a basis of thirty children to the teacher, to a total of 
$600 per teacher, apportioned by the state. Where a school has less than 
thirty children, the same amount per teacher is granted, thus affording 
equal advantages to the country and city. In order to receive this state 
support, the county and the district are required to raise $300 per 
teacher, for the payment of salaries in addition to what is needed for 
building and equipment. The state also gives an additional amount 
for the payment of high school teachers in standard high schools. Some 
such system as this, of a. definite amount per teacher and per child, 
granted by the state, only on the condition that the county and the dis- 
trict raise at least a specified amount, insure adequate support of the 



—28— 

public schools. A state like Texas should keep its schools open an- 
nually for at least four terms of twelve weeks each. This plan would 
permit a week's vacation at Christmas and three weeks in August. 
Teachers should be required to take a whole term's vacation for study 
and rest at least every third year. Children should be peniiitted to 
begin work at the opening of any term, and should be required to at- 
tend during three consecutive terms. Thus where agricultural condi- 
tions vary, the parent could choose his child's term out of school. More- 
over, with regiilar employment for them, the state would be able to de- 
mand better trained teachers. With school open practically the year 
round, the child who needs some occupation in summer might take such 
work as would give sufficient rest and yet employ enough of his time to 
prevent stagnation. Moreover, the school property would not stand idle 
for a fourth or more of every ^''ear, but would "be in almost constant 
use. This is an ideal to be accomplished in the, perhaps, distant future ; 
but, to my mind, such a plan is the best solution of many of our educa- 
tional problems. 

With the establishment of an efficient county-unit system, it will 
become necessary that county school boards shall have a longer term 
of service, that they may acquire familiarity with the school laws and 
the school affairs of the county. The provision for a retirement, or 
re-election, of not more than one-third of the members each two years, 
ensures that two-thirds of the memljership, M-ill, at all times, after the 
first few years, be persons who have had experience in the work, and 
this plan will contribute towards the making of definite policies and 
plans for progress, and the developing of an efficient corps of teachers. 

In order to attain their best development, state colleges should be 
able to plan for the future and to count with certainty on specified rev- 
enues. In other states, this has been accomplished through the levy 
of a specific tax for the state universities and colleges. As the appor- 
tionment of the funds resulting from this special tax can be left to the 
Legislature, it does not remove the schools from legislative direction, 
but merely assures adequate revenues for steady progress. 

14. Special Boards for Certain Sfafc Schools. — The state institutions 
for the blind and the deaf, the orphans' homos, and the institutions for 
delinquents, are, in their nature, schools. Experience of other states has 
shown that schools prosper best when they have their own regents, 
especially devoted to their interests. I, therefore, respectfully recom- 
mend that two state boards be placed in charge (1) of the Schools for 
the Deaf and the Blind, the State Orphans' Home, and the State Home 
for Depeudent and Xeglected Children, and (2) of the State Training 
Sphools for Delinquent Boys and Girls. 

15. Miscellaneous Recdmmendntions. — There are a number of minor 
correctory changes which should be embodied in the general education 
bill, which will be mentioned briefly in this section. 

The present laws require the scholastic census to l)e taken in March, 
yet permit the reports to be sent to the State Department of Education 
too late for compilations sufficiently prompt to furnish intormation 
needed before the new session begins. These reports should be required 



—29— 

by the first of June. Many independent districts are violating the 
law as to remnneration for taking the scholastic census, because other- 
wise, they cannot get it taken at all. Some latitude should be allowed 
to them by the law. 

Provisions and discrepancies as to the time when city and county 
school depositories should make bond are now unsatisfactory. The 
law requires that no state funds may be sent to the schools until the 
the bond is made, and it is frequently made so late as to delay school 
funds. If both county and city were required to choose depositories 
every two years, beginning July 1, and to make a bond equal to the 
amount of estimated receipts, the proper management of the school 
funds would be facilitated. 

In rural districts many schools cannot obtain good teachers, because 
of the difficulty of finding boarding places for them. There are nu- 
merous districts which would meet this difficulty by erecting and equip- 
ping a teacher's home, or teacherage, except for a ruling of the attorney 
general that such a building is not a school building, and that, there- 
fore, they may not issue bonds for the building of a teacherage. A 
specific provision in the law, pemiitting a district to issue bonds to 
erect a teacherage, is, therefore, recommended, as necessary to the con- 
tinued progress of the rural schools. 

In the work of classifying and accrediting schools, the State Super- 
intendent is assisted by an advisory State Committee on Accredited 
Schools. This committee is representative of public school work and 
of each type of state and independent college. Its services are useful, 
and necessary to insure justice to all educational interests of the state. 
It should be established by law, and its powers more definitely defined. 
This method of administering the matter of school classification and 
affiliation has originated in Texas, and is regarded as a distinct con- 
tribution to democracy in school administration — it is a plan which 
other states are noting and commending. 

In the working out of state courses of study, if these are to be progres- 
sive and practical, it is necessary that the State Superintendent shall 
have the counsel of committees of teachers, different members of whom 
are actually engaged in teaching every phase of the work of the public 
schools. These teachers give their services without remuneration, but 
provision should be made for the payment of their actual expenses, 
while engaged in the conferences necessary for the work. 

The state laws should provide definitely the time when annual re- 
ports of superintendents and principals must be sent to the State De- 
partment of Education. Cases are not infrequent, Avhere persons leave 
the public school service without making such reports, and they are then 
obtainable only by resort to the courts. I recommend that the general 
annual reports of superintendents of independent districts be required 
by July 1, and reports of county superintendents, by August 1; and 
that the financial reports of both the independent districts and the 
counties, be required by October 1. 

I am informed that 'in the State Home for Epileptics, there are chil- 
dren of school age, capable of being educated, and I respectfully recom- 
mend that some provision be made for teaching such children. 

In the training of the future citizens of Texas, a knowledge of the 



— :^o— 

histoid of their own state is essential. This stud}' is now pursued in 
the sixtli grade; it is fitting that such a course should be given in this 
grade, as many children never advance further than the sixth grade, 
and thus, l)efore leaving scliool, they learn something of the history of 
their own state. But at this age, they are too young to derive the 
greatest benefit from such a study. Tlierefore in the third or fourth year 
of the high school course, the subject of Texas history should again Ije 
taught from a l)r(jadcr standjioint than is possible with younger chil- 
dren . 

Texas is behind many of flie other states of the T'nion in the matter 
of instruction in music. There is no other cultural subject v. hich 
means more in the after lives of the pupils. Such instruction is inval- 
uable in training the taste, and in inciting the emotion of patriotism, 
as well as other high emotions, and it is also valuable as discipline of the 
faculties of the mind. 1 recommend that the teaching of music be re- 
quired in all public schools, and that there be authorized the granting 
of public school credits for standardized music courses, taken out of 
school. 

In order tliat the future mothers of the state may receive the train- 
ing impoi-taiit to the ]>reservation of the health of future generations, I 
recommend that the law provide that all accredited high schools of the 
first class shall require that all girls, l)efore graduation, shall take a 
prescribed minimum of courses in home economics and home nursing. 

The experience of the army training camps has shown what proper 
physical training can accomplish for our boys. The training of a race 
that will be physically fit, is an important objective of the Avork of the 
])ublic schools. To this end, I recommend that jihysical training l)e re- 
quired in all schools, and that where funds will permit, schools shall 
be required to employ specially trained directors of physical education. 

Experience during the world war has also demonstrated that a state 
cannot safely leave to chance training in the duties of citizenship. 
What is constantly imi)ressed upon the child, becomes a part of the 
nature of the adult. Specific and regular teaching of the ideals and 
duties of citizenship should be carried on in every grade of the public 
schools, and such teaching should be made compulsory by law. Such 
a plan will accomplish results for the future. But our state now has many 
native adult illiterates, and many foreigners, who would gladly accept 
instruction if it were ])rovided. These are reached in the night schools 
of our large cities: but the state should ma"ke provision for such train- 
ing in the snuill towns and the rural districts. This can best be man- 
aged by a special approjiriation for this work, to be administered through 
the State Dcjiartment of Education, in cooperation with an advisory 
Americanization C'onmiission or illiteracy Comm.ission, ajqiointed 1)V 
ihe Governor. 

Alnises have too frc(|Ucntly occurred in the state due to the ju-actice 
followed by some com])anies of em])loying, during the session, or during 
vacation, teachers, attendance officers. ])riiU'ipals, or su]ierintendents, 
as agents of books, desks, stoves, majis, or other school equijunent. Ere- 
quently this practice originates from the desire to use the advantage 
to l)e gained of the influence which these persons possess by virtue of 
their position. The laAv should specifically ]irovide that the acceptance 



—Sl- 
ot' renmneration for any such employment sliall automatically termi- 
nate the person's connection with the public schools. 

Many cases have come under my administration in which teachers, 
superintendents, or principals, under contract, have l^een dismissed 
by school trustees without due consideration, and without adequate 
cause. A part of making the work of the teacher sufficiently attractive 
to secure the best talent, is the matter of safeguarding her interests 
after a contract is made. I, therefore, recommend the specific pro- 
vision, now implied in the law, that, before dismissal of a teacher or 
school officer during the term for which such teacher or school officer is 
employed, the person dismissed shall be furnished with a written state- 
ment as to the causes of dissatisfaction, and shall be granted a hearing 
by the school trustees. 

In many states of the Union, it has been found to be a measure of 
the Avisest economy to establish a Teacher's Eetirement Fund, under 
state supervision. By such a plan, each teacher wdio enters into the 
fund, contributes a certain proportion of her salary. To this, the state 
adds a certain amount, and the entire fund is invested under state 
control. A teacher is permitted to retire, at a certain age, and required 
to retire at a still more advanced period, with an income proportionate to 
what she has contributed. Since few communities will turn away in 
old age a teacher who has devoted her life to the service of their schools, 
and since the poorest economy is the retention of those no longer cap- 
aljle of efficient service, this plan has been found to be a wise method 
of satisfying the demands of both justice and economy. In addition, 
such a plan is contributory to better service in the schools, as teachers 
who are not constrained by anxiety in regard to their future are men- 
tally free to do better work; and as it puts a premium on remaining 
in the same position, it contributes towards the building up of an 
experienced teaching force. Also, whatever makes the work of teaching 
more attractive, is worth while to a state, as it induces persons of su- 
perior ability to enter the service of the schools. The nature of a school 
system depends not so much upon the kind of buildings and equipment 
which it has, as it does upon the chara'cter of its teachers. 

16. Bevision of tlie Cprtificate La/vs. — While certain revision was 
given to the certificate laws bv the Thirty-sixth Legislature, this revision 
was aimed chiefly at meeting an emergency situation, so as to provide for 
the present session a sufficient number of certified teachers to keep our 
schools open. The great demand in Texas today is for mature, trained 
teachers. Statistics given in this report (page 47) shew that Texas is 
making little progress in improving its teaching force. Seventy-nine 
per cent of the teachers in common school districts and 45 per cent of 
the teachers in independent districts lack college training. Many 
states do not permit a teacher with less than two years of college training 
to hold any position in their schools. In the common school districts, 
50 per cent of the teachers have certificates below the first grade. This 
means that 400,000 Texas children are taught by teachers whose prep- 
aration is about that of the eighth grade. The code for teacher-certi- 
fication Avhich will be presented to you by this department presents a 
systematic plan for gradual advancement. It provides for the exist- 



—32— 

ence of the present plan along with the new plan for a period of years; 
it permits all teachers now building for higher certificates under the 
present plan to continue this process through a reasonable length of. 
time; it does not invalidate any certificate previously granted. It pro- 
vides a just plan, whereby all accerdited colleges of Texas are granted 
the same privilege of certification on the basis of the same courses and 
standards of work, except that it grants certain special privileges to 
normal colleges; and it gradually raises standards for the future, thus 
assuring better qualified teachers after its complete and full operation 
begins. 

The pro}>er conduct of teachers' examinations in the various coun- 
ties has been seriously hampered in the past two years, by the difficulty 
of securing competent persons to hold these examinations at the re- 
muneration paid. It is a general recommendation of the county sup- 
erintendents that this fee be increased, both that they may secure for 
the work those who are competent and trustworthy, and that those 
who are totally unqualified, but who take the examinations largely as 
a matter of luck, may be discouraged from continuing this practice. 



EEPORT OF THE C40YEEX0irS COMMITTEES OX 
EDUCATIOX. 

January 7, 1921. 
To His ExceUency, Governor IT'. P. Ilohhi/. 

Dear Sir: Your Committee on Education desires to make the fol- 
lowing report: 

At the first meeting on March 19, 1920, the members first appointed 
held a meeting to consider educational conditions and policies, with 
the following members present: ^Y. B. Bizzcll. F. M. Brallev, F. ^Y. 
Cook, L. J. Hart, T. H. Slielby, 1?. E. Yinson, Xellie White and A. 
W. Blanton, C. E. Evans being absent. x\fter a general discussion 
of emergency conditions in education and of the avisability of recom- 
mending a constructive study of the educational needs of the state, it 
was decided to request you to appoint a larger committee, representa- 
tive of the different interests and different sections of Texas. Three 
6ub-committees Avere appointed to report to this larger committee. 
These committees were as follows: First, Committee on Present Con- 
ditions, Annie Webb Blanton, Chairman, C. E. Evans and F. W. Cook; 
second, Committee on the Emergency of the Educational System, T. 
H. Shelby, Chairman, C. E. Evans and Nellie White; third, Commit- 
tee on Constructive Policies, E. E. Yinson, Chairman, F. M. Brallev 
and L. J. Hart. 

On April 19, 1920, the larger committee appointed by you in re- 
sponse to the request of your first committee, met in the Governor's 
Eeception Eoom, with the following niembers present: Annie Weblj 
Blanton, Mamie Bastian, F. M. Bralley, W. B. Bizzell, J. C. Cochran, 
F. W. Cook, Lynch Davidson, C. E. Evans, L. J. Hart, J. A. Hill, L. 
H. Hubbard, T. N. Jones, D. E. Lydav, F. C. Proctor, E. E. Pedigo, 
T. H. Shelby, Chas. G. Thomas, Leonard Tillotson, E. E. Yinson and 
Nellie White. The followins: members were absent: W. H. Bledsoe, 



—33— 

H. B. Brelsford, Eichard Burges, E. M. Dudley, Chester Terrell. The 
Hon. Eichard Burges was selected as Chairman of the committee and 
Annie Webb Blanton as Secretary. F. C. Proctor was chosen as Vice- 
chairman and presided at this meeting. After hearing the reports 
of the three committees appointed at the preceding meeting, the com- 
mittee took action appointing two standing committees to continue the 
work for which the committee was created. These were as follows: 
Committee on Legislation, T. N. Jones, D. E. Lyday, J, C. Cochran, L. 
J. Hart, F. W. Cook, Lynch Davidson, Leonard Tillotson, Annie Webb 
Blanton; Committee on Educationl Development, F. M. Bralle}^, E. 
E. Vinson, W. B. Bizzell, C. E. Evans, T. H. Shelby, Kellie White- 
H. B. Brelsford. 

Eeports of committees showed the schools of Texas, including the 
higher educational institutions, to be in a precarious condition. In the 
public schools the alarming teacher shortage was revealed to have se- 
riously impaired the school system of the state, many schools having 
been forced to close for lack 'of teachers, and others having continued 
their sessions only through private subscriptions by public spirited 
citizens. It was reported that each of the higher educational institu- 
tions was working with depleted forces and that these schools could 
not secure an adequate corps of teachers without substantial increase 
of appropriations. It being the opinion of the committee that the leg- 
islation expected of the special session shortly to^ be held should be 
limited to remedying these emergency conditions, the following recom- 
m,endations were decided upon to be presented to the Special Called 
Session of the Thirty-sixth Legislature. 

1. Increase of appropriations for the higher educational institu- 
tions, including the State Department of Education. 

2. Increase of salaries of County Superintendents, fixing a minimum 
salary, permitting County Boards to fix a maximum salary and to 
make allowances for office assistants and for adequate traveling ex- 
penses. 

3. Direct appropriation from the general funds to be apportioned 
to the public schools to increase salaries of teachers and provide for 
a longer school term. 

4. Eepeal of the Maximum Salary Law now applying to many rural 
and small town schools. 

5. Eevision of the laws in regard to the certification of teachers, 
providing for a choice of subjects and for a better reciprocity with other 
states and emphasizing professional training. 

This committee further recommended that the Texas School for the 
Blind, the Texas School for the Deaf and the Orphans' Homes should 
be considered as educational institutions and should be termed as such 
by law. The Legislative Committee was instructed to use efforts to 
bring this about. It was also decided that if the situation in regard 
to the Medical Department at Galveston did not iniporve, the Legisla- 
tive Committee should ask the Governor to appoint a committee to in- 
vestigate the situation at Galveston. 

On Friday, May 28, 1920, your committee again held a session in the 
Governor's Eeception Eoom with the following members present: Hon. 
Eichard Burges, Chairman, Annie Webb Blanton, Secretary, Mamie 



—34— 

Ba.<tian, W. B. Bizzdl. F. :\i. Brallev, K. E. Vinson, Leonard Tillot- 
son, L. H. Hubbard, J. C. Cochran and, C'has. G. Thomas. The fol- 
lowing members were absent: F. W. Cook, Lvnch Davidson, C. E. 
Evans, L. J. Hart, J. A. Hill, I>. E. Lvdav, E. E. Pedigo, F. C. Proc- 
tor, T. H. Shelby, Nellie White, W. (i. BJedsoe, H. B. Brelsford, R. 
M. Dudley and Chester Terrell. Eejroits were made by the Legisla- 
tive Committee to the effect tliat bills Jiad been prepared to carry out 
the legislation aii|ir(i\ed at the preceding meeting. The matter of sub- 
mitting a hill for an educational snrvey of the state was discussed, 
the committee deciding to take no action on this matter at this time. 

On Thursday, January (>, 1921, a fourth meeting of the Committee 
on Education was hekl in the Governor's Reception Room. In the 
inteiim P. W. Horn had. lieen appointed to take the place left vacant 
til rough the decease of Chester Terrell. The following were present: 
Hon. Richard Burges, Chairman, Annie Webb Blr.nton. Secretary, 
Mamie Bastian, W.' B. Bizzell^ F. M. Brallev, J. C. Cochran, F. W. 
Cook, C. E. Evans, L. J. Hart, J. A. Hill, P. W. Horn, L. H. Hubbard, 
T. X. Jones, Chas. G. Thomas, Leonard Tillotson. R. E. Vinson, 
Nellie White. The following members were absent: W. H. Bledsoe, 
H. B. Brelsford, Ivvnch Davidson, R. :\r. Dudley, D. E. Lyday, E. R. 
Pedigo, F. C. Proctor, T. H. Shelby. The Connnittee on Legislation 
reported the following as accomplished in regard to the legislative pro- 
gram endorsed to be carried out at tlie special session of the Legisla- 
ture. 

1. An appropriation of four million dollars from the general funds 
to increase the per capita apportionment in the public schools. 

2. Increase of salaries in the state's higher educational institu- 
tions amounting to approximately twenty-five per cent on an average. 

3. Increases of salary for county superintendents varying ifrom 
thirty-three and one-third per cent to sixty-six and two-thirds per cent. 

4. Provision for office assistants for county superintendents and 
a fifty per cent increase for office and traveling expenses. 

."). Amendment of the ]\Iaximuni Salary Law providing for in- 
creases to teachers holding each grade of certificate. . These were as 
follows: Second grade certificate from $60 to $100; First grade cer- 
tificate from $75 to $125; and Permanent certificate from $85 to $150. 

G. The passage of a more progressive certificate law providing for 
choice of subjects, foi- reciprocity with other states and giving more 
em]ihasis to professional training. 

The Connnittee on Future Policies rejiorted that it had not formed 
any s|)ecific program to recommend to the general committee. After 
a thorough discussion of each part of the educational system of the 
state, it was agreed that the committee should make the following 
recommendations to your Excellency, to Governor-elect Pat M. Xcff, 
and to the Thirty-seventh Legislature. 

1. Immediate ])assage of Enabling Act, ])utting" into effect the re- 
cently adopted amendment to Article 3, Section T, of the State Con- 
stitution whereby school districts may be authorized to vote for their 
schools such support as they deem necessary. 

2. Revision of the state syi^tem of taxation in such a way as to 
equalize taxal)le values in tlie different counties of the state. 



—35— 

3. The passage of such appropriations from the general funds of 
the state as may be necessary to provide for the public schools a state 
per capita apportionment of not less than $14.50. 

4. The establishment of an effective County Unit System for Texas 
in which the County Superintendents shall be appointed by the County 
Board of Trustees and in which sparsely settled counties shall be 
divided into groups, each group to be presided over by a County Dis- 
trict Superintendent, thus al)olishing the office of ex-officio county super- 
intendent. 

5. A revision of the Text Book Law, making certain changes as to 
the Text Book Commission, providing for the distribution of books 
to the Common School Districts through County Depositories, defining 
more definitely the duties of teachers and school officers in regard to 
the management of text books, providing for the cancellation of con- 
tracts by the State Board of Education in case of |)ersistent failure to 
fill contracts, providing for a penalty to l)e assessed by the State Board 
of Education for the selling of a book at a price greater than the retail 
price fixed in the contract, providing that no text book in manuscript 
shall be considered by the Text Book Commission, adding additional 
texts now in use in the schools Imt not covered by contracts and pro- 
viding that contracts shall in future be so arranged that the contracts 
on not more than one-sixth of the total number of different texts adopted 
shall expire in any one year or shall be changed in any one year. 

6. A revision of the Compulsory Attendance Law providing for a 
gradual increase in the length of the compulsory term and in the grade 
and the age of exemption, prescribing that by September 1, 1922, the 
English langiiage must be made the medium of instruction in all pri- 
vate and sectarian schools accepted in lieu of public school training, 
requiring the registration of private and sectarian schools and provid- 
ing that by September 1, 1924, private and sectarian schools whose 
work may be accepted in lieu of public school training must conform 
to public school standards. 

7. Continuation of the special annual appropriations of two million 
dollars for rural schools and those of small towns. 

8. Appropriation for vocational education under the terms of the 
Smith-Hughes Law and provision for acceptance of the terms of the 
recent Federal Act providing for the rehaliilitation of persons injured 
in industry . 

9. Provision for a comprehensive and thorough survev of the schools 
of Texas. 

10'. A revision of the statutes relating to the powers of the State 
Board of Education, granting to this Board the power to remove, after 
a fair hearing, any school official who has been illegally placed in his 
position or who refuses to obey the school laws or who wilfully and 
persistently neglects his duties or who is known to be wholly incom- 
petent or to be guilty of misconduct or of immorality ; granting also to 
this Board the power to alter, change or fix boundaries of school dis- 
tricts in cases of appeal or in cases to which existing laws do not apply. 

11. Provision for a State Board in charge of the State Depart- 
ment of Education and of the pul)lic schools, who shall appoint the 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction and who shall determine 



—36— 



a^axe the educators employed in the state's highest educational msti- 

*''1''''" Provision for dnld-.velfare ^vork am,OBg ^school children of 
schod age m cooperation ."ith the Parent-Tbacher organizations ot the 

'^la. Provision for the holding of a Constitutional Convention in the 

'^'7x^ PeSion of the certificate laMs, providing for the same powers 

/^+- w nrto .11 sdiool'^ on a hasis of the same standards and courses 

of certification to all .chool^o^^^ certificates obtained by exam- 

and for more adequate fees for county ex ,„.„atos 

ir^ "Pnrlor'sement of the memorial ot the i^oam oi i\ef,cuL. 

P ; „1 Iw the SstitutioBS of higher education and by the htate De- 
Control by tl^^,™*"""'" .,^, f,% „„j necessary tor the maintenance 
rartment o Ed"catmr a ns^ fair an^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^.^ ^^_^^_^^^^^^^ 

and support of these "f *' J'''™^'?^^;;^^,;, power to secure the adop- 
r i?r: ^geJrhy tl:!;-* Con,,Lttee and hy tire Thirty 
seventh Legislature ,„„„,ittee desires to express to you its 

In d°='"g * l,;Xf^rt'Xty f" service to the educational interests 
:rt':l; e"; i h^aTe^ con'ferred upon them by your appo.„i.„eu^. 

^^e'desire to express to >-^»",,t''dti:r youf Smfni^l^tL" "I^d 
l"f ytrlrgr^ll^^and iS ^L ^oJrl the schools which have 
made this progress PO-'blc^^^^^^^^_^^^^ ^^^^^^ 

Eeport signed by 

RiCHAED BuRGES, Chairman. 
Annie Webb Blanton, 
Leonard Tillotson, 
Egbert E. Vinson, 

Committee Preparing Pei>ort. 



-37— 



STATISTICAL REPORTS 



A BEIEF SUMMARY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCES AT 
CLOSE OF FISCAL YEAR, AUGUST 31, 1920 

PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND 

State Permanent Fund, 
From Report of Land Commissioner, August 31, 1920. 

Land notes $46,915,674.20 

Bonds 24,760,210.84 

Cash 217,074.89 

Total $73,892,959.98 

County Permanent Fund 
From Annual Reports of County Superintendents 

Acres of land sold 4,036,441 

Acres of land unsold 226,843 

Value of County Permanent Fund, 1919-20 

Investment in bonds $ 5,097,900.30 

Investment in vendor's lien notes 4,519,949.69 

Investment in other securities 314,452.83 

Cash on hand 66l',263.50 

Total ' $10,593,566.32 

Estimated value of unsold lands 1,513,086.39 

Total value of County Permanent Funds $12,106 652.71 

REPORT OF MAINTENANCE FUNDS, 1919-20. 
Receipts. 





State and 

County 
Available. 


Local 
Maintenance. 


Total. 




$ 923 910 59 


$ 1,444,860.30 


$ 2,368.770.89 

10.487,815.00 

1.844,565.46 

37.615.44 

2.510.03 

573 442 63 


State apriortionment 


10,487,815.00 

1,844,565.46 

37,615.44 

2,510.03 

573,442.63 

807,488.75 
345,310.99 
216,016.13 


Rural aid fund 




State-Federal vocational fund 








Income from county permanent fund 


Countv apportionment to Independent 
Districts 


26,446.47 

2.59.162.37 

87,982.64 

9,718,860.24 

1,360,718.77 


807.488.75 
345.310.99 
242,462.60 
259,162.37 
151,489.31 
9,718,860.24 
1.818,520.17 


Monev borrowed 




Tuition 


Interest on deposits 


63,506.67 


Local taxation 


Miscellaneous 


457,801.40 




Total 


.S15 759 983 09 


$12,898,030.79 


$28,658,013.88 







—38— 



Disbursements. 



Slate and 

(loiintv 
Available. 



Salaries of teachers Sll ,847,108.59 

Salaries of county superintendents 276,541 .54 

Interest and payments on borrowed money. . 266,448 

Taking scholastic census " . . 34,558.78 

County apportionment paid Independent 

Districts 164,521.14 

Assessing and collecting taxes. 

Purchase of school sites 3.914.99 

School houses and equipment 156,212.94 

Transportation 6.642.36 

Transfers 171 ,086.80 

Miscellaneous 529,467.58 



Local 
Maintenance. 



Total 



Total. 



Less I)alancc on hand, transfers, county ap- 
j)orlionment to lnde|)endenl Districts, 
and payment of borrowed money 

Net amount expended on all public schools. 



813,483,503.49 



2,871.589.21 



§12.888,393.) 



$ 6 . 01 5 . 548 . 95 $1 7 . 889 . 657 . 54 
276,541.54 
266.448.77 
34.607.81 69.166.59 



164,521.14 

121.081.6.i 

89.300. l'.» 

1.954.866.52 

70.087.76 

208.255.17 

4,707.901.14 



121, 
85, 

1.798, 
63, 
37, 

4,178, 



081.63 
385 . 50 
653.58 
445.40 
168.37 
433 . 56 



$12,334,324.80 $25,817,828.29 



600,874.36 



.■512,297,156.43 



3,472,463.57 



825,185,550.31 



BOND Oi; lUlLDIXG ITXl) 

Receipts 

Balance from previous vear $l,G34,04"-i.l7 

Sale of bonds '. -^,719,130.88 

Interest on (lejiosiLS 151,468.23 

Total 

Disbursements 

Pnrciiase of school sites $ 171,816.80 

Building school houses •3,221.831.47 

Making additions to school liouscs ('.00, 940, .IS 

TJepairing school houses l')5, 668. 00 

.School equipment 22i),628.20 

Net amount actually expended .$3,329,885.05 

Balance on hand. August 31, 1920 1,174,756.23 

Total 



$4,504,641.28 



$4,504,641.28 



SIXKIXC )-CXI) .\XI) IXTl'ltKST .VCCOl'XT 

J^eceipts 

Balance from ])revious vear $3,897,065.61 

Local taxation ." 2,390,034.71 

Investments and interst on deposits 312,386.19 

Tutal 



$6,599,486.51 



—39— 

Disbursements 

Interest on bonds $1,425,656.70 

Eedemption of bonds 662,884.63 

Assessing and collecting taxes 55,598.24 



Xct amount actually expended $2,144,139.57 

Amount invested 1,325,086.16 

Balance on hand 3,130,260.78 



Total $6,599,486.51 

Net Expenditures for Puhlic School Purposes, 1919-1920 

Amount from maintenance funds $25,185,550.31 

Amount from Imilding funds 3,329,885.05 

Amount from sinking funds 2,144,139.57 



Total ]iet amount of expenditures $30,659,574.93 

Average Cost of Instruction Per Pupil 

White Colored 

(:*ommon school districts $28.22 $11.40 

Independent districts 26.00 15.00 

Average amount per child spent by state for teachers' salaries. . . .$17.90 
Average amount per child spent by state for other maintenance 

purposes $ 7.30 

Average cost of instruction per child $25.20 

Value of School Buildings 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts $15,403,916 $ 896,333 $16,300,249 

Independent districts 33,683,485 1,845,229 35,528,714 



Total value $49,087,401 $2,741,562 $51,828,963 

Value of School Grounds 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts $ 1,439,202 $ 127,587 $ 1,566,789 

Independent districts 8,399,655 511,152 8,910,807 



Total value $9,838,857 $ 638,739 $10,477,596 

Value of School Furniture 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts $ 3,094,687 $ 202,651 $ 3,297,338 

Independent districts 2,839,735 181,317 3,021,052 



Total value $5,934,422 $ 383,968 $6,318,390 



^o- 



Value of titer School Equipment 

White Colored 

Common school districts $ 380,645 $ 13,149 

Independent districts 2;^99,537 61,312 



Total Value of School Property in State 

White Colored 

Common school districts $20,324,450 $1,239,720 

Independent districts 48,661,614 2,598,910 



Total 

339,794 
2,360,749 



Total value $ 2,686,182 $ 74,361 $ 2,760,543 



Total 
521,564,170 
51,260,524 



Total $68,986,064 $3,838,630 $72,824,694 



SMITH-HUGHES VOCATIONAL WORK. 
Expenditure from Slate and Federal Funds, 1919-20. 



Classification of Expenditure. 



Agriculture: For salaries — 

a. Of supervisors of agriiulture. 

b. Of teachers of agriculture. . . . 



Total (a +b) 

Trade, industry, and home economics: For salaries- 
A. Of teachers of trade or industrial subjects: 

a. In evening schools 

b. In part-time schools 

c. In all-day schools 



Total (a -Fb +c) 

B. Of teachers of home economics subjects: 

a. In evening schools 

b. In part-time schools 

c. In all-day schools 



Total (a -f b -fc) 

C. Of teachers in general continuation part-time schools. 



Total (A4-B-1-C) 



Teacher training: For maintenance of teacher training, in- 
cluding supervision — 

a. In agriculture 

b. In trade and industry 

c. In home economics 



Total (a -f-b -|-c) 
Total (1 -f2 -1-3) 



Amount of Expenditure. 



State Funds. 



$ 4,160 
9,672 



% 13.833 



100. 



450 



550 



$ 11,903 



$ 11,903 
$ 265 



$ 12,719 



$ 9,618 
11,026 
13,453 



$ 34,098 
$ 60,651 



Federal 
Funds. 



$ 4,160 
36,405 



$ 40,565 



$ 1,847 
8!268' 



$ 10,115 

$ 417 

3!962' 

$ 4.380 

% 1,579 



$ 16,075 



9,618 
11,026 
13,453 



34,098 
90,739 



EEPOKT OF S:\nTH-HUGIIES A^OCATIONAL WOEK FOR 

1920-21. 

Vocational Agriculture, 1920-21 

Courses are beins" offered in 77 schools for whites and 10 schools for 
colored. Total, 87." 

Total number ol' pupils enrolled, 1920-21 : About 1200 white, about 
150 colored. 



—41— 

During 1918-19 for every dollar spent for teachers' salaries 43 cents 
was returned from project work. 

During the year 1919-20 the enrollment increased 113 per cent over 
1918-19. 

Vocational Home Economics, 1920-21 

White Colored 

Number of day schools organized 27 3 

Number of evening classes organized 11 3 

Total number of classes organized 38 6 

On account of the small amount of money available for home economics 
education more schools cannot be organized. 

Total number of girls enrolled in home economics classes: 541 white; 
9G colored. 

Trade and Industrial Education, 1920-21 

Number of classes organized up to December 20, 1920 : 

White Colored 

Day classes 11 5 

Part-time 12 

Evening 40 

Total 63 5 

Number of pupils enrolled : 

White Colored 

Day classes .' 152 37 

Part-time 152 

Evening ' 580 

Total 884 37 

Ninnber of teachers employed: White, 52; colored, 6. 

The greater part of the work is given to people who are employed in 
industry, 580 in evening classes and 152 in part-time classes. 

Instruction for people in 18 different vocational pursuits is being car- 
ried on. 

Work increased during 1919-20 133 per cent over that of 1918-19. 

Teacher-Training 

The following state institutions are training teachers for which they 
are receiving Federal aid: 
College of Industrial Arts. 
ITniversity of Texas. 
Agricultural and Mechanical College. 
Sam Houston Normal Institute. 
North Texas Normal College. 
San Marcos Normal College. 
Prairie View Normal and Industrial Institute. 



—4'2— 

The fact that Texas appropriated less funds than any other state of the 
eleven states in the southern region, which could be used to match Fed- 
eral funds for vocational work, shows we are far behind other states in 
this respect. 

Six states of this region have matched the Federal appropriation dol- 
lar for dollar. 

The one big factor in this work is the ability to reach the people who 
are not being reached by the public schools. 

The part-time and evening classes are taking care of those who have 
dropped out of school and gone to work. This work will stop if Texas 
fails to take advantage of the Federal aid. 

Thirty-five states have compulsory part-time education laws for peo- 
ple over 14 years of age, while Texas has not. 



REPOET OF SUPEEVISOKS OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE 
SESSION" 1919-20 

PnNicafions 

The following bulletins were published: Bulletin 106, Laboratory 
Exercises in Animal Production; Bulletin 107. Laboratory Exercises in 
Plant Production; Bulletin 108, A Year's Work in Vocational Agri- 
culture. 

Tea cli er-Training 

Teacher-training was continued by the A. and M. College and by the 
Prairie View Normal Institute. The Sam Houston Normal Institute 
and the West Texas State Normal began the necessary preparatons for 
obtaining the recognition of the State and Federal Boards as teacher- 
training institutions for teachers of vocational agriculture. 

Work in High Sclwols 

The number of schools giving courses in vocational agriculture in 
Texas has increased from 31 in 1918 to 76 in 1919 and 90 for the session 
of 1920-21. 

For the year $59,944.44 was available for salaries of teachers, super- 
visors and directors of agricultural subjects. Of this sum, $36,405 was 
paid the public schools and $4160 was paid for supervision. All the 
allotment of state funds, consisting of about $10,000 for agriculture, 
was used in the smaller schools of the state. 

It is interesting to note that for the year ending June 30, 1919, the 
reports of the vocational teachers of Texas show that for every dollar 
spent on this type of education 42 cents was earned by the boys in their 
home projects. 

A large number of communities desiring the vocational course this 
j'^ear were unable to obtain teachers who could meet the requirements 
of the State Board. We were therefore unable to introduce the work, 
even though Federal funds were available for partly reimbursing the 
school for the salary of the teacher. 

Although the work was intended primarily to train boys as farmers, 



—43— 

many of the small schools in which our farmers of tomorrow are found 
were unable to introduce the course because they could not raise their 
part of the teacher's salary. The minimum paid these men for the 
year's work was $1200. Our part of the $25,000 appropriation made by 
the Thirty-sixth Legislature enabled us to assist some of these com- 
munities, but the number thus reached was relatively small. 

Two summer school sessions of six weeks each were conducted at A. 
and M. College for the benefit of the agricultural teachers whose train- 
ing had not been adequate when they entered the service. Our standard 
for tliese men is increasing each year. 

A two-day conference at which all the colored teachers of vocational 
agriculture were present was held at Prairie View. 

A contest, in which ten teams from our vocational schools partici- 
pated, was conducted at the Ft. Worth Fat Stock Show. This contest 
has been enlarged and made permanent. 



EEPOET OF THE RURAL SCHOOL DIVISION" 
By the Chief Supervisor of Rural Schools, L. D. Borden 

The work of this division, the present year, has been directed chiefly 
along two lines — to assist rural and small-town schools which showed a 
real need for assistance in maintaining a school term of proper length, 
and in securing building and equipment more in harmony with an awak- 
ening consciousness of what must be provided for rural communities, 
before their problems, social and economic, can begin to be solved. 
This involved the distribution of the Two Million Dollars' Rural Aid 
Fund in such an equitable manner that most aid would be given where 
most needed, without at the same time weakening the spirit of self- 
reliance and local maintenance. 

In some counties there was manifest a disposition to regard the Rural 
Aid Fund as a special political plum or pie, and a determination to get 
as large a slice as possible without regard to actual needs, or meeting the 
standard requirements. This was partly due to a misunderstanding of 
the purposes of the laAV. However, of the more than forty-five hundred 
schools which applied for and received aid in 1919-20, there is abundant 
evidence that all but a very small per cent were helped through a period 
of great financial stress, and that the aid given was most opportune and 
thoroughly appreciated. Two hundred and ten counties received this 
aid this year. . 

County superintendents and teachers report that the visits of the 
supervisors have been of great assistance in arousing district trustees 
to their schools' needs, and that our plan of checking up the proposed 
fulfillment of standard requirements has been -a very successful factor 
in securing much needed and long promised improvements and equip- 
ment. 

It may be worth while to arid here that the average traveling expense 
of visiting the schools was $2.18 per school. 

The second objective in the work of this division has been to establish 
better understandng of the administration of. schools, of the provisions 
of school laws, and of duties of trustees. This has been accomplished 



—44— 

through county conferences held in 63 counties, at which were present 
from 75 jDer cent to 90 per cent of the trustees, both district and count}', 
who gave eager and came.'t attention to the statements of the repre- 
sentatives from the Rural School Division, who explained the various 
features of the recent school enactments, and expressed our sincere de- 
sire to co-operate with them in securing a betterment of rural conditions, 
both school and community. This was followed by a general round- 
table discussion of their local problems or difficulties and has resulted 
in great good — inspiring confidence and arousing school sentiment and 
entliusiasm, which in a number of comities has taken the form of suc- 
cessful elections for bond issues and local maintenance tax. 

The Teacher-Placing Bureau of this division has been of very great 
assistance to teachers and superintendents. There have been enrolled 
during the year: Avhite teachers, 882; colored teachers, 11. Of these, 
289 wliite and 1 colored have been employed through the efforts of this 
bureau. Enrolled at present are 589 white teachers and 10 colored 
teachers. The number of vacancies reported is: white, 1165; colored, 3. 
The total number of vacancies now on the list is 1035. 

It is my belief that this work will result in great and lasting improve- 
ment in the betterment of farm life conditions in Texas, and that the 
most powerful factor in this accomplishment will be a new type of rural 
school, taught and led by a new type of rural teacher specially trained 
and developed for the purpose. 



STATE AID GRANTED FOR RURAL SCHOOLS. 1919-1920. 



County. 


Number 
of Schools. 


Total for 
County. 




52 
46 

8 

1 
20 

9 
19 

5 
16 
49 

9 

6 
36 
27 
13 

7 

5 
38 
17 

7 
16 

4 
28 

8 
12 

2 
47 

6 
15 
52 
25 
37 

5 
43 
71 
20 
15 
48 


$ 21.375.00 




18,040.00 




3.900.00 




.500.00 




3,650.00 




3,540.00 




5,!i05.00 


Bavlor ' 


2,075.00 


Bee 


7,215.00 


Bell 


34,386.16 




4,400.00 




2,075.00 




19,225.00 




14,460.00 




6,3vl5.00 




3,800.00 




2,500.00 




16.560.00 




7,415.00 




4,295.00 




5,250.00 




1,700.00 




10.100 00 




4,125.00 


Cam<. 


7,100.00 




1,000.00 




14,678.00 




2,090.00 




6,205.00 




27,400.00 


Chi'dress 


9,195.00 


Clav 


13,488.00 


Coke 


2,225.00 




17,246.00 


Collin 


32.160.00 




7.170.00 




4.390.00 


Comanche 


17,580.00 



L5— 



STATE AID GRANTED FOR RURAL SCHOOLS, 1919-1920 — Continued. 



County. 



Concho . . . 

Cooke 

Corvell. . . . 

Cottle 

Crosby. . . . 
Dallam. . . . 
Dallas. . . . 
Dawson. . . 

Delta 

Denton . . . 
DeWitt . . . 
Dickens. . . 
Donley. . . . 
Eastland . . 

Ector 

Edwards . . 

Ellis 

Erfith 

Falls 

Fannin. . . . 
Fayette . . . 
Fisher. . . . 

Floyd 

Foard 

Fort Bend. 
Franklin. . 
Freestone. . 

Frio 

Gaines. . . . 
Galveston . 

Garza 

Gillespie. . . 
Glasscock . 
Goliad . . . . 
Gonzales . . 

Gray 

Grayson. . . 

Gregg 

Grimes. . . . 
Guadalupe. 

Hale 

Hall 

Hamilton. . 
Hansford. . 
Hardeman. 
Hardin. . . . 

Harris 

Harrison. . 
Hartley . . . 
Haskell . . . 

Hays 

Hemphill. . 
Henderson. 

Hill 

Hood 

Hopkins. . . 
Houston. . . 
Howard . . . 

Hunt 

Hutchinson 

Irion 

Jack 

Jackson . . . 
Jasner. . . . 
Jefferson . . 
Jim Hogg. . 
Jim Wells . , 
Johnson. . . 

Jones 

Karnes. . . . 
Kaufman. . 
Kendall. . . 

Kent 

Kerr 

Kleberg. . . 

Knox 

Lamar. ... 

Lamb 

Lampasas. . 
Lavaca 



Number 
ol Schools. 



Total for 
County. 



7 


$ 2,965.00 


42 


15,125.00 


48 


15,565.00 


8 


2,700.00 


10 


4,225.00 


1 


500.00 


38 


16,735.00 


17 


6,589.00 


40 


17,255.00 


54 


30,275.00 


5 


1,750.00 


11 


5,145.00 


8 


3,695.00 


49 


17,675.00 


1 


500.00 


1 


500.00 


53 


23,531.00 


50 


18,795.00 


26 


13,360.00 


93 


36,111.00 


17 


3,175.00 


28 


12.075.00 


12 


5,285.00 


8 


3,300.00 


12 


6,335.00 


17 


6,975.00 


20 


7,973.00 


6 


2,850.00 


5 


2,585.00 


10 


4,400.00 


9 


3,235.00 


5 


1,585.00 


2 


800.00 


6 


1,795.00 


14 


6,575.00 


3 


900.00 


50 


22,724.00 


13 


6,608.00 


18 


6,555.00 


8 


2,900.00 


17 


8,185.00 


20 


8,785.00 


37 


13,740.00 


1 


500.00 


16 


6,590.00 


7 


2,725.00 


47 


18,075.00 


21 


6,715.00 


2 


950.00 


31 


13,590.00 


15 


4,210.00 


7 


3,310.00 


32 


14,020.00 


56 


23,375.00 


16 


7,020.00 


85 


.32,029.00 


44 


14,, 341. 00 


11 


5,819.00 


83 


38,205.00 


2 


800.00 


4 


1,950.00 


25 


8,975.00 


22 


10,250.00 


10 


5,. 540. 00 


7 


2,4,30.00 


1 


. 500.00 


4 


1,400.00 


30 


14,405.00 


44 


20,. 320. 00 


14 


6,830.00 


40 


18,668.75 


6 


1,950.00 


3 


1,500.00 


6 


2,145.00 


1 


500.00 


3 


2,000.00 


59 


26,692.00 


1 


800.00 


16 


4,595.00 


24 


6,150.00 



—46— 

STATE AID GRANTED FOR RURAL SCHOOLS. 1919-1920— Continued. 



County. 


Number 
of Schools. 


Total for 
County. 




23 
26 

7 
50 

6 

3 

9 
20 

6 
24 

2 

6 
17 • 
24 
44 
24 

5 
32 

9 
21 
53 

1 

6 
14 

5 
34 

29 . 
14 
24 
19 

2 

7 
16 
50 
54 
2fi 

7 

1 

2 
44 

2 

4 

1 

6 
16 
37 
48 
24 

5 

8 
18 

1 
18 

8 
50 

2 

1' 

2 

1 
24 
10 
40 
45 
10 

4 
21 
15 
42 
34 
31 
40 

8 
78 
24 
21 

9 

1 

6 


$ 8,825 00 




9,195.00 




2,. 533 00 




22 , 007 . 50 




2 450 00 


Live Oak 


2,000 00 




2,125.00 




10 790 00 




2 , 632 . 00 




11,535.00 




1 , 125 00 




2 , 540 . 00 




8 130 00 




9,010.00 




18,480.00 




6,805.00 




660 . 00 




16,175.00 


Mills 


5,235.00 




10,280.00 




20,325.00 




500.00 




2,575.00 




7.910.00 


Motley 


2 , 500 . 00 




14,250.00 




14.640.00 




5.791.00 




8,455.30 




11.390.00 




1,. 325. 00 




3,. 300. 00 


Palo Pinto 


7,050.00 




20.447.00 


Parker 


23,305.00 




10,880.00 




2,. 578. 00 




400.00 


Real 


675 . 00 




17.357.00 




675.00 




1 , 500 00 




1 .000.00 




2.750.00 




7.720.00 




17,215.00 


Rusk T 


22,645.00 




7,960.00 




6.185.00 




3,400.00 




5,4.50.00 




8.445.00 




500.00 




8,4.30.00 




3,175.00 




20,3.50.00 




640 00 




17.663.00 




2.190.00 




800.00 


Sterling 


.500.00 




9.240.00 


Swisher 


4.305.00 
20.0.50.00 




20,262.50 




4,450.00 




2,000.00 




9.. 320. 00 




5 , 765 . 00 




22,926.00 




14.810.00 


Tvler 


13,680.00 




17,102.00 




3,215.00 




35.243.00 




7,375.00 


Walker . 


10.125.00 


Waller 


3,095.00 


Ward . . . . 


115.00 




3.100.00 



—47— 

STATE AID GRANTED PQR RURAL SCHOOL, 1919-1920— Continued. 



County. 


Number 
of Schools. 


Total for 
County. 




25 
25 

7 
29 
25 
11 
50 
26 

3 
43 

5 


$ 10,171.00 




7,962.00 


Wichita 


2,100.00 




14,860.00 




11,350.00 




3,700.00 


Wise 


19,245.00 


Wood 


10,517.00 




575.00 




17,000.00 




1,550.00 








Total 


$ 1,844,565.46 









A part of this appropriation lapsed to the state, because the schools 
did not meet the conditions, or did not apply for what was needed. 



BEIEF SUMMARY OF OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL STATISTICS 
BASED OX REPORTS FOR 1919-20 

NUMBER OF TEACHERS 

White 34,530 

Colored 3,830 

Total 38,350 



CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS 

Common School Districts 

White Colored 

Second grade certificates 6,449 1,334 

First grade certificates 5,789 603 

Permanent primary 346 31 

Permanent certificates 1,105 364 

Kindergarten certificates 1 

Total 13,689 3,333 



Independent Districts 

' White 

Second grade certificates 738 

First grade certificates 4,340 

Permanent primary certificates. . . 1,307 

Permanent certificates 4,604 

Kindergarten certificates 55 

Special city high school certificates 7 

Total 10,841 



Total 

7,783 

6,391 

377 

1,469 

1 

16,031 



Colored 


Total 


380 


1,108 


. 427 


4,667 


40 


1,347 


640 


5,244 





55 


3 


9 



1,489 



13,330 



—48— 

Total in Comnton Scliool and Independent Districts 

White Colored Total 

Second grade certificates 7,177 1,714 8,891 

First grade certificates 10,0-.^9 1,029 • 11,058 

Permanent primary certificates ... . 1,553 71 1,624 

Permanent certificates 5,700 1,004 6,713 

Kindergarten certificates 55 1 56 

Special city high school certificates 7 2 9 

Total 21,530 3,821 28,351 

Number of teachers in common school districts, 16,021. 

Forty-eight per cent of teachers in common school districts have a 
second grade certificate; 2 per cent have j^ermanent primary certifi- 
cates : 50 per cent of them have certificates below first grade. 

Number of teachers in independent districts, 12,330. 

Nine per cent of teachers in independent districts have second grade 
certificates; 10 per cent of them have permanent primary certificates; 
19 per cent have certificates below the first grade. 

Forty-eight per cent of the teachers in common school districts are 
graduates of no school; 31 per cent of them are graduates of high 
schools; 16 per cent are graduates of normal schools, and 5 per cent 
are graduates of some college or university; 79 per cent of them lack 
college training. 

Eight per cent of the teachers in independent districts are graduates 
of no school; 37 per cent are graduates of high schools; 30 per cent are 
graduates of normal schools, and 25 per cent of them are graduates of 
some college or university; 45 per cent of them lack college training. 

In 1918, 33 per cent of the teachers of the state held second grade 
certificates; in 1920, 31 per cent of them held second grade certificates. 
Thus we see the proportion shows little decrease. In 1920, 6 per cent 
of the teachers of the state held permanent primary certificates, 39 per 
cent first grade certificates, and 23 per cent held permanent certificates; 
37 per cent of the teachers of Texas held certificates below first grade. 

In 1918, 27 per cent of the teachers of Texas were graduates of high 
schools; 23 per cent of them were normal graduates; 11 per cent were 
graduates of other colleges and universities, and 39 per cent of them 
were not graduates of any school. 

In 1920. 33 per cent of the teachers of the state were graduates of 
high schools; 21 per cent were normal graduates; 13 per ccent were 
graduates of other colleges or universities, and 33 per cent were not 
graduates of anv school. 



STATISTICS AS TO AVERAGE SALARIES OF TEXAS TEACH- 
ERS FOR SESSION OF 1919-20 

ONE-TEACHER SCHOOLS 

Men Women 

White $ 573.36 $ 469.82 

Colored 361.23 299.55 

Average annual salary in one-teacher schools, $440.13. 



t9— 

ELEMENTARY GRADES 

Common School Districts 

Men 

White $ 591.78 

Colored 380.98 

Independent Districts 

Men 

White = $ 883.00 

Colored 588.00 

Average annual salary in elementary grades, $582.63. 

HIGH SCHOOL GRADES 

Common School Districts 

Men 

White $ 845.00 

Colored 531.54 

Independent Districts 

Men 

White $1,280.63 

Colored 708.04 

Average annual salary of high school teachers, $952.66 

Principals 

Men 

White $1,528.80 

Colored 1,043.46 

Average annual salary of principals, $1,486,69. 

Supervisors 

Men 

White $1,645.10 

Colored 1,255.00 

Average annual salary of supervisors, $1,076.31. 

Siiperintendents 
Average annual salary of superintendents, $2,263.78. 

General Arerages for State 

Average salary of rural teachers, $51.90. 
Average salary of town teachers, $875.22. 
. Average salary of all teachers in state, $682.66. 



Women 

$ 490.38 

315.81 



Women 

$ 779.21 
500.63 



Women 
717.69 

495.83 



Women 
988.50 
633.12 



Women 

$1,476.86 

825.75 



Women 

$ 938.45 
893.00 



—50— 

STATISTICS AS TO OXE-TEACHEE AXD CONSOLIDATED 

SCHOOLS, INCLUDING TEANSPOETATION AND 

TEACHEEAGES 

Nr:Nn{i;R of oxe-teaciiek schools 

\Miite Colored Total 

Common school districts o,GSy 1,419 5,108 

Indepeudent districts U)!) 213 382 

Total oiie-teacJier schools. 3,858 1,632 5,490 

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS 

Number of consolidated schools previously reported, 491. 

XUMBElt OF COXhOLIDATlOXS EFFECTED IX 1919-20 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 117 11 128 

Independent distrcts 13 3 16 

Total consolidations 130 14 144 

Total consolidated schools in state, 635. 

NUMBER OF TRAXSI'OKTATIOX' AVAGOXS IN USE 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 87 87 

Independent districts 19 U 19 

Total number of trans])or- 

tation wagons 106 106 

NU:X[LiEK OF CIIILDKEX TKA XSI'OUTED TO AXD FROM SCHOOL AT PUBLIC 

EXPENSE 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 1,993 3 1,996 

Independent districts 687 687 



Total children trans])orted 2,680 3 2,683 

teachers' homes or TEACHER AGES 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 4 78 84 518 

Independent districts 44 5 49 

Total of teachcraijcs 478 89 " 567 



. —SI- 
NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS 

Elementary High Schools Total 

Common school districts 7,215 2,169 9,384 

Independent districts 1,186 453 1,638 



Total in state . . . 8,401 2,621 11,022 

PUPILS ACTUALLY ENROLLED 

Common School Districis 

White Colored Tolal 

Kindergarten 1,569 443 2,012 

Elementary grades 418,480 107,214 525,694 

High school 30,616 1,288 31,904 



Total ■ 450,665 108,945 559,610 

Independent Districts 

White Colored Total 

Kindergarten 5,567 449 6,016 

Elementary grades 332,211 61,936 394,147 

High school 71,680 4,195 75,875 



Total ..409.^58 66,580 476,038 

Total — Independent and Common School Districts 

White Colored Total 

Kindergarten 7,136 892 8,028 

Elementary grades 750,691 169,150 919,841 

High school 102.296 . 5,483 107,779 



Total for state 860,123 175,525 1,035,648 

Percentage in kindergarten, .8 per cent. 
Percentage in elementary grades, 88.8 per cent. 
Percentage in high school, 10.4 per cent. 

Classified High Schools ■ 

l>J"nmber of first class accredited high schools 343' 

Xnmber of second class accredited high schools 72 

Xnmber of third class accredited high schools 75 

Total • 490 



—52— 

REPOriT AS TO XUMBER OF BUILDINGS USED FOR PUBLIC 

SCHOOLS 

'number of SCIIOOLlIOrSKS OWXED BY PUBLIC 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts T,803 1,052 8,855 

Independent districts 1,461) 420 1,889 

Total of schoolhonses:... 9,272 1,072 10,344 

NUMBER OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS NOT OWNED BY PUBLIC — RENTED OR 

OTHERWISE 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 336 254 590 

Independent districts 86 102 188 

Total 422 356 778 

NUMBER OF SCliOOLUOUSES BUILT DURING YEAR OF 1919-20 

White Colored Total 

Common school districts 435 75 510 

Independent districts 85 19 104 



Total of schoolhouses 9,094 1,428 11,122 



FI^TAXCIAL EEPOKT OX TEXT BOOKS BY THE TEXT BOOK 
MAXAGER, l\riXXIE LEE BAKEETT. 

Session of 1919-20 

A. Special Appropriation 

Department E.\])cnditui-cs to S(M)tonil)er 1, 1919. 

1 . Salaries. 

(a) Bctrular employees-^ $ 3,302.18 

( i)) Tem])orary employees 7,816.99 

2. Printing and stationery 1,676.55 

3. Postage ." 1,260.00 

4. Furniture 386.06 

5. Supi-lies 918.27 



Total $ 15,360.05 

B. Tfxf Book Fund — Septcmlypr 1, WW, io Scptonher 1, 1920 

T. Income. 

1. Amount derived from 15-cent tax $3,594,778.90 

, 2. Sale of text hooks to pupils 62,325.1 1 



Total $3,657,104.01 



—53— 



II. Disbursements. 

1. For text books $3,259,926.13 

2. For cost of administration 54,428.16 

3. Purchase of old books 13,768.67 

4. Five per cent commissions to custodians 194,467.23 

Total $3,522,590.18 

Unexpended balance $ 134,513.83 

III. Disbursements Itemized. 

1. Depositories. 

(a) Southern $2,042,414.43 

(b) Texas 544,683.23 

(c) Ginn 488,127.17 

(d) Practical drawing 184,701.29 

Total $3,259,936.12 

2. Department Expenditures. 

(a) Salaries of regular employees $ 14,723.10 

(b) Salaries of temporary employees 16,134.13 

(c) Postage, telegrams, and express 4,540.74 

(d) Printing, stationery, and supplies... 17,348.16 

(e) Furniture and fixtures 1,682.03 

Total $ 54,438.16 

3. Purchase of old books $ 13,768.67 

4. Five per cent commissions to custodians 194,467.23 

Total disbursements $3,532,590.18 

IV. Amount of Orders for Text Books, Including Original, 

Emergency, and Supplementary Readers. 

1. Total for common school districts $1,878,348.76 

2. Total for independent districts 1,961,437.98 

Total $3,839,786.74 

3. Amount of orders filled and charged to state. 

(a) Southern $2,402,717.03 

(b) Texas 673,630.54 

(c) Ginn 529,635.37 

(d) Practical drawing 196,090.73 

Total $3,803,073.66 

4. Exchange books credited to -state 33,916.11 

Total $3,779,158.55 

5. x^mount of unfilled and uncharged orders. 

(a) Southern $ 18,989.48 

(b) Texas 18,^33.60 

Total $ 37,713.08 



—54^ 

6. Amount paid each depository. 

(a) Southern $2,042,414.43 

(b) IVxas 54^,683.23 

(c) Ginn 488,127.1? 

(d) Practical drawing 184,701.29 

Total $3,259,926.12 

V. Summary of Fund foi 1919-1920. 

1. Total amount charged to fund $4,041,814.78 

2. Total income 3,657,104.01 



Deficit $ 384,710.77 

Note 

1. There might seem some inconsistency between the balance shown 
under item II and the deficit under V. The balance was due to the 
fact that the statements from the depositories were not completed at this 
date, and, consequent 1}% warrants on the amount not draAvn. Much 
more than this sura was due. 

2. There cannot be complete accuracy in tlic figures given for the 
total orders for common school and independent districts until the final 
settlement of the 1919-20 business. Cancellations, of which we were 
not notified, were made in orders placed with the depositories. Many 
shipments were returned unclaimed, others went astray, and many sur- 
plus books were returned. The final check will give with accuracy the 
totals ordered and filled. It will probably result in a smaller deficit 
for the first year. The amounts of income and disbursements are, of 
course, exact and accurate. 

3. The unfilled orders were transferred and billed with the 1920- 
1921 shipments, with the exception of those texts not readopted. These 
orders were canceled. 

4. The greatest number of temporary employees at any one time was 
forty, but this was during the first summer, when bond amounts had 
to be made and orders filled for the whole state. Ou August 31st, the 
close of the school year 1919-1920, there were nine members in the tem- 
porary force. 

Session of 1920-1921— Skptember 1, 1920, to January 1, 1921. 

I. Income. 

1. Amount derived from 15-cent tax $ 297,688.43 

2. Sale of text books 5,355.90 

3. Unexpended balance August 31st 134,513.83 

Total $ 437,558.16 

II. Disbursements. 

1. For text books $ 148,341.32 

2. For interest 35,304.66 

3. For department expenditures 12,857.46 

4. For county depositories 63.91 

Total $ 196,567.35 

Balance $ 240,990.81 



—55— 

ni. Disbiirsements Itemized. 

1. Depositories, for text books. 

(a) Southern $ 96,395.08 

(b) Texas 32,812.36 

(c) Cxinn 11,787.64 

(d) Practical drawing 7,346.24 



Total $ 148,341.32 

,2. Depositories, for interest on 1919-1920 accounts. 

(a) Southern $ 22.063.73 

(b) Texas 5,728.68 

(c) Ginn 5,438.72 

(d) Practical drawing 2,073.53 

Total $ 35,304.66 

3. Department expenditures. 

(a) Salaries of regular employees $ 6,359.67 

(h) Salaries of temporary employees 3,478.02 

(c) Postage ' ' 1,513.56 

(d) Printing, stationery, and supplies. . . . 1,435.50 

(e) Miscellaneous 70.71 

Total $ 12,857.46 

4. Expenditures for county depositories. 

(a) For storage on unclaimed shipments, 

for postage and express $ 63.91 

TY. Amount of Orders for Text Books. 

1. For common school districts $ 673,855.10 

2. For independent districts 498,608.01 

Total $1,172,463.11 

3. Unfilled orders transferred from 1919-1920..$ 33,317.48 

Total amount charged to fimd. .$1,205,780.59 

Note 

1. The balance on hand January 1st includes the sum of $201,129.21, 
transfer made for December. Warrants were issued against this fund 
immediately. A sufficient sum has not yet been transferred to pay the 
deficit on 1919-1920 business. 

2. If the present law continues in force, the state will always have 
to pay interest to the depositories, for this reason. Shipments are made 
in big quantities in June, July, and August. Sufficient taxes are not 
collected to meet these payments until February of the succeeding year, 
six or seven months later. The interest could be avoided from this 
year on by this plan. If the unexpended part of the Text Book Fund 
is not transferred to the Availal)le School Fund on September 1, 1921, 
but is left in the Tpxt Book Fund until January 1, 1922, the depository 



—56— 

payments can be met promptly within the three months limit. Then 
the transfer to the Available School Fund could be made from the 
new taxes. 

S. The orders for this year are somewhat higher than anyone antici- 
pated, resulting in a surplus in some texts. The surplus is not the fault 
of the depositories, except in a few rare instances where they made a 
mistaJce in duplicating a shipment. When notified, they were prompt 
in every case to take back the extra shipment, paying the return costs. 
The fault is wholly the teachers and superintendents. They alone are 
to 1)1 ame for ordering books not taught in their schools and a larger 
number than Avould be needed. The over-ordering was not done ma- 
liciously, but ignorantly. In most counties, orders were approved by 
county superintendents without any effort on their part to see that 
they were correct. This is most true of the first year, when the county 
superintendents felt they were under no obligations imder the text book 
laAv. Later, when they could have assisted, they were helpless, because 
the law did not require their signatures to emergency orders. Teachers, 
becoming impal:ient because their original orders were not filled, sent 
new orders without stating the original had not been filled. When the 
number of texts ordered was at great variance with the original, neither 
tlic d(^positories nor this department could detect the duplication, though 
we did cancel hundreds of so-called emergency orders. 

Mistakes of this sort were more or less natural the first year of dis- 
tribution, and no sweeping condemnation should be made by any one; 
Imt if it is made, it should be placed Avhere it belongs, upon the original 
makers of the orders. This Department should not suffer criticism be- 
cause of this surplus. Our only basis for judgment was the enrollment 
re]iorted. If this was wrong, we had no way of knowing it, and the 
blame again falls back upon the maker of the requisition. 

4. Some of the county superintendents have rendered very valuable 
assistance in adjusting the distribution in their counties, by transfer- 
ring the surplus of some schools to relieve the shortage of others. In 
this way, they have secured enough surplus texts, in some cases, to fill 
the orders for their schools for the coming session. 



ESTi:\lATi: OF SCHOOL FUNDS FOE 1920-1 921 ON WHICH THE 
$1 1.50 PER CAPITA AYAS BASED 

Assessed valuation of taxable property $3,367,346,912 

Available Srliool Fund 

One-fourth occupation taxes $ 47.325.67 

Two-thirds poll tax 694,004.50 

Supplemental taxes 69,978.00 

Delinquent taxes 333,418.98 

Insolvent 21,891.29 

Penalty ". 10,951.71 

Total income last year from above $ 1,177,570.15 



-0, 



Total from Permanent Fnnd last 3'ear 3,810,566.30 

Total $ 4,988,136.51 

Balance to School Fnnd August 31, 1920 1,713,317.01 

Product of 20-cent school tax in 1920-1921 (less 15 per 

cent for collection) 5,724,489.75 

Amonnt left from text book 15-cent tax in 1920-1921 2,138,564.22 

Special appropriation 4,000,000.00 



Total $18,564,507.49 

'^14.50 per capita for 1.271,157 children is $18,431,726.50. 

This is the estimate, according to the fignres which were furnished 
last snmmer. The totals checked were based on last year's figures. The 
others on estimates for this year, and have been corrected according to 
the Comptroller's latest figures on property valuations. 



INDEX 



Page 

Accredited schools 9^ 24 29 51 

Adoption of text books 13, 18, 20 

Agriculture 23 40, 42 

Amendment to Article VII, Section 3 7, 9, 34 

Americanization 8, 21, 30 

Annual reports 9, 29 

Appropriation, department 25, 36 

Appropriation, rural aid 7, 22, 35 

Apportionment, California plan 27 

Apportionment, per capita 7, 10, 27, 35 

Apportionment, school funds 7, 10, 27 

Attendance law 7, 21, 35 

Average cost of instruction 39 

Blind, School for 8, 28 

Bond or building fund 38 

Bonds of school depositories 9, 29 

California plan of apportionment 27 

Census 28 

Certificate law 8, 31, 36 

Certificate statistics 47 

Change of U. S. histories 18 

Child welfare work 8, 26, 36 

Citizenship instruction 9, 30 

Classified high school 9, 24, 29 

Colleges, state tax 9, 27, 28 

Commission on Illiteracy 8, 21, 30 

Committee on accredited schools 9, 24, 29 

Committee on education 7, 32 

Compulsory attendance law 7, 21, 35 

Consolidation of schools 50 

Constitutional convention 8, 9, 27, 36 

Contracts, teachers' 9, 30 

Contracts, text book 13, 18, 21 

Cost of text books 52 

County school board 9,27 

County tax for schools 9, 27 

County text book depositories 14, 18 

County unit system 7, 10, 28, 35 

Course of study 29, 30 

Deaf, School for 8, 28 

Depositories of school funds 29 

Depositories, text book 14, 18 

Dismissal of teachers 9 

Distribution of text books 14, 18 

District purchase of text books 18 

Education Department 25, 36 

Enabling Act for school amendment 7, 9, 34 

English language in schools 22, 35 

Enrollment in school 51 

Epileptics, School for 9, 29 

Estimate of school funds for 1920-21 .' 56 

Expenses of Text Book Commission 21 

Financial report on text books 52 

Governor's Committee on Education 7, 32 

High school classification 9, 24, 29, 51 

Home economics 9, 30 

Home nursing 9, 30 

Illiteracy 8, 21, 30 



Page 

Maintenance fund 37 

Measures requirin<r constitiitional amendments 9 

]\reasures reqiiirino: statutory enactment 8 

Memorial in regard to University S. 36 

]\Iiisic courses ; " ■ ' '^' ^^ 

Nursing courses ; .". . . 9, 30 

Orphans' Home .: .'. . .V'.; ./ -28 

Parent-Teachers' Association ; . . V.S, 26. 3& 

Parochial schools ' 22, 35 

Per capita apportionment 7, TO, 27, 35 

Permanent school fund • 37 

Physical training 8. 30 

Private' .schools 22, 35 

Report, Governor's Committee on Education ^2 

Reports required of school oflicers 0. 29 

Report, Rural State Aid 43, 44 

Report, Text Book Commission .\ 18 

Report, Text Book Division 52 

Report, text book finances 52 

Reports, statistical 37 

Re])ort. vocational education 40 

Retirement fund for teachers 9, 27, 31 

Revision of tax system 7, 10, 34 

Rural aid appropriation 7, 22, 35 

Rural aid grants 44 

Salaries of teachers 48 

Scholastic census 28 

School funds , . . 7, 10, 27. 37, 56 

Sinking funds 38 

Smith-Huglies vocational work 7, 23. 35, 40 

Special boards for School for Blind and Deaf 8, 28 

Statistical reports 37 

State aid for rural schools 7, 22, 35. 44 

State Board of Education 7, 24, 35 

State Board of Public School Regents 8, 24, 35 

State Department of Education 25 

State superintendent, appointment of 24 

Supplies not to be sold by teachers ^.- 9, 30 

Surplus of text books 15, 16 

Survey of schools 7, 23. 35 

Tax, county, for schools 9, 27 

Tax for colleges 9, 27, 28 

Tax for text books 17 

Tax system revision 7, ] o, 34 

Teacherages {>, 29, 50 

Teachers' retirement fund 9_ 27. 31 

Teachers' salaries 48 

Text book adoption ; ] 3, ] fj^ 21 

Text Book Commission 13, 1 g, 21 

Text book cost 52 

Text book distribution ....'. 14 18 

Text book, financial report 52 

Text book law 7 13 jj^ 35 

Text book surplus 15. ] (5 

Text book tax 17 

Texas history 9 30 

Thrift instruction _ ., 9 

Two million dollars rural aid 7_ 22. 35 44 

U. S. history -...'.. ' IS 

Valtie of school property 3<) 



Vocational education . 



40 



